Confused Loyalties
by Silvanus16
Summary: Come, walk through a door into a world and behind the eyes of two brothers. See what they see... Rated for language, some sexual content, and violence. blah blah blah
1. Default Chapter

Hey all, just another pilot chapter for another story of mine. Let me know how you like it. If I play my cards right, you'll see different sides of a character that you never expected. I love it when I can surprise people. Who knows? This may be completely, in the words of Monty Python, "Silly!" But just like Shift in the Sands, I'll yank it if it sucks that bad. If it's too painful to get through the first paragraph, I gotcha. Flames are welcome, and somewhat expected, if it bites monkey butts. Let me know what ya think...  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own MKR  
  
Confused Loyalties  
  
chapter 1: The Players  
  
No need to wonder how this ends. No. This story has already been written.   
  
This is my story. But before I set the board, you better know who I'm about to tangle with. I'm sitting in the cafeteria of possibly the shittiest high school you'll ever find. Even the cheerleaders aren't that hot. Now that's bad if you ask me. But you're not asking me about the chicks here are you? Didn't think so.   
  
Anyway, I'm sitting next to my brother. He's the wild card between the two of us. Every time he looks at you, you feel like you just wanna jump up and scream, "Okay! I admit! I did it!" Then you get that dumbfounded/ guilty look on your face and he'll just laugh at you.   
  
From my perspective, he's not much to look at. But ask any of the girls here and they'll tell you they'd be willing to bear his children. He's had so many offers from girls: the preps, the geeks, the athletes, the cheerleaders, the straight A's. You name 'em, they've asked him to screw 'em. What has he got that I don't? He's smaller than I am. Like I said he's not much to look at. He wears the rattiest clothes, like he just came out of the garage after being under the hood for hours. He does everything himself. He's constantly nagging mom to go see a shrink. He's that goody-good bad boy you can never figure out.   
  
Then there's those two in the corner. They never leave each other's sights. When one's in the bathroom, the other doesn't wait outside. Oh no. From what I've heard it takes them thirty minutes to get back to class. But the teach always let 'em go and fuck in the stalls. My brother will sometimes punch me and jeer, "They're always joined at the pelvis aren't they?" And it's true. Not that I go out of my way to find out! Hell no! What kind of pervert do you think I am?! Those two can have their screwing sessions. And the gothic clothes. And their druggies fuck buddies. I don't know why. What the hell?! Of course I know why! I just don't see how they're there right now. Nobody who know them does. I mean REALLY knows them.  
  
Then there's little miss lonely next to the lunch line. She's one of those repulsive goody-goods. A real trooper! I despise her too... for other reasons than her nauseating good deeds. Some have said she's a witch. That's why the most popular track star fell in love with her. And hasn't been seen sense.  
  
Something tells me though... he's not gone.  
  
And then... there's her. God she's beautiful. She hangs out with the fencing team all the time. She's never alone. But that shouldn't stop me from talking to her should it? My brother's always warned me to stay away from her. Stupid me for telling him I was crushing on her in the first place. He's always said he'd find me somebody better. He's the one who's got connections! Course he'd be doing me a favor I'd have to pay back with interest. No thanks Clef! I'd sooner be like Fuu rather than you fix me up with one of your whores. No thanks! If I want to screw some hot chick, I'll find someone who won't want to hump in the bathroom stall. I still can't believe that's always been Hikaru's idea! 


	2. Why a Human?

Hello all! Sorry, getting into a routine for school has taken all the time I had and more. I promise I am working on Without the Mask but, sadly, Quest for the Ardoneh has once again found its way back to the shelf. This is the first story I'm writing without an outline so let's see where it goes. Do you know who everybody is yet?

Disclaimer: I don't own MKR or the mystic legend of which I'm borrowing the main star

chapter 2: Why a human?

I hate Mondays! I finally get my internal clock to shut up on Sunday, then Monday rolls around all too soon. Or maybe it's not the day I hate, but the house that's there to say-

"Hey shithead! Rise and shine!"

I rolled over on my side and put the pillow over my ear. "Fuck you," I growled.

My brother sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "It never fails to amaze me," he said. "I'm supposed to be the younger brother, you know, the CAREFREE one. And here I am for the eighteenth time this month, knocking you outta bed!" He knocked on the pillow, "Come on, last chance."

"Clef!" My mother's voice bellowed from across the hall.

"Yeah ma?" Clef called back.

"Is his sorry ass outta bed yet?"

"Not yet," he called back. He jostled my shoulder and whispered, "Ascot! Come on man. You know you don't want her on your ass right when she gets back from work."

"Well get him up! It's seven already. You two better not be late for school again!"

"Yes'm. Sorry bro." He raised his hand over my back, grew his nails, and ripped a long line down my spine. His other hand clamped over my mouth when I jumped up and nearly howled in pain. I glared at him. "Ascot," he said, foreboding. "The demoness bitch herself is on the other side of the hall. So get dressed, slap whatever you have to in to get that hair of yours under control, and let's split."

I don't know why I always insisted on pushing my luck with mom. After dad either disappeared or got knifed, nobody knows, she went through hell. With everything falling apart around us, it seemed I was determined not to do a damn thing to help. I ran off whenever I got the chance. Clef, well, he stayed behind. Was that how he went from the carefree baby of the family to the unbreakable force? Seriously! Anybody, myself including, crosses mom, gives her shit, or a lecture, Clef's always been the one to be the whipping boy for mom. And she would tear the ass outta him every damn night for three months. And he just stood there and took it then held her briefly before she struck again, ducked under her arm when she swiped at him to peck her on the cheek, mutter "I love you" in her ear, then leave the room calmly as something, usually glass or the iron, sailed at his head.

When all was said and done, he'd climb out the bedroom window after leaving his clothes on his bed, and run in the light of night. He'd return the next morning, refreshed and as good as new.

And not once did mom ever say she was sorry. Not once! Sweet moon what did Clef ever do to her?!

We ran to school, got in trouble for being late, again (!), took the referral, and went on about our business.

Today, thankfully, was a good day. I had all my favorite classes, one in particular, lunch would be with the guys(Eagle, Zazu (the mechanical genius from grade school), and of course my brother), and her. But why did she always have to sit on the far side of the cafeteria? Away from me?

Clef punched me in the shoulder. Apparently I'd missed a joke. As I looked around the table it was easy to tell who the joke was on. Eagle was about to fall out of his chair while his hand was clamped over his mouth, trying to keep the gulp of soda from coming through his nose. He pushed his tray away so he wouldn't knock anything on himself or anybody else. Zazu sat next to him with a dumbfounded deer-in-the-headlight look on his face. "What?" he said. "I don't get it."

I put my hand on Zazu's shoulder, "Don't worry about them. They have their own sick sense of humor not even Einstein would get."

Clef looked up at me with tears in his eyes and a grin that extended from ear to ear. "It doesn't take a two year old to get that one!"

I rolled my eyes, "Whatever." I unscrewed the cap of my second Sprite then finished off what was left. Picking up my tray I said, "I'll be back you hyenas."

"Hey wait!" Clef called me back then handed me a dollar. "Get me a Dr. Pepper."

I nodded, snatched the bill, then fought my way through the crowded aisles of the cafeteria. My eye caught sight of a particular red-headed parasite. She grinned when she knew she had my attention, showing off her long canines that were as white as her skin. I didn't so much as scowl at her. Clef would have let a low growl, too low for humans to hear, and licked the tip of his gleaming canines. But not me. No. I just turned my head to face the approaching trash cans while she and her little clan laughed. I could feel Clef's watchful eye on me as I passed her. Both eyes soon fell on me when I dumped my trash in the bin and knocked into someone as I turned around.

Her tray clattered to the floor. The spaghetti she had fell on the toes of her shoes.

"Dammit," she muttered then bent down to pick up the mess.

I started to walk away then stopped dead when I recognized the blue wasn't from her denim jacket but her hair. I immediately apologized and helped her pick up the mess.

She laughed, "It's okay."

"I shoulda been watching," I insisted.

"Hey, I said it was okay. I was coming in to throw it away anyway. Not like I was gonna eat anymore of it."

"I'm still sorry. Some got on your shoes."

"Don't worry about it." She took a discarded napkin and wiped the red sauce away. "See, all clean."

We bumped heads when we tried to get up. I must have stood a whole head higher than her. She looked so small... so vulnerable.

She looked up and smiled as she rubbed her head a little more. "Thanks, most jerks would have just walked away."

"No problem," I said shyly as I shrugged.

She dropped her tray off then held her hand out to me. "Umi Ryuuzaki," she said cordially. "Nice to meet you."

I just stared at her hand. Was I dreaming? I was actually _talking_ to the girl of my dreams! "Uh..."

She giggled, "Don't worry. I won't bite."

I chuckled at what would be sick humor if she was like me. I grasped her hand gently, "No," I said with a smirk. "You don't look like the type that would bite. Knock somebody's head off maybe, but you wouldn't bite."

"How would you know I'd knock somebody's head off?"

"I saw you when you took a piece out of Hikaru in art class."

"Oh well... wait, you're in my art class." A light of recognition came in her eyes. "Yeah! I know you! You're... wait don't tell me. Your name starts with an 'A.'" I nodded to encourage her to continue. "I... [sigh] I'm drawing a blank on your name."

"You know Clef Tenaga?"

She shuddered, "Yeah I know him."

"He's my brother."

An instant wall of defense shot up around her. "You're Clef's brother?" she asked almost in complete dread.

"Is that a bad thing?" I asked, peeved at her reaction.

"No I guess not. You can't choose your family by any means."

"What's wrong with Clef?"

She shook her head, "He's just too good. I hear all these wonderful stories from my friends. I'm sorry, _nobody_ can be that nice, caring, sympathetic, honest, and tactful and still be a man."

"Ouch," I said as I rubbed my chest.

She laughed, "I didn't mean anything bad against you."

I sighed, "That's a relief. Here we just met and I thought I'd already pissed you off."

She shook her head. The wall around her seemed to be crumbling. "Nah," she said as she waved her hand. "You're fine."

"Cool."

She smiled, "Well I'll see you last period then."

"Kay, see ya then."

"Wait!"

I turned to see her with her eyes shut tight. She looked at me. I smiled when I realized she was trying to remember my name. I squinted my eye at her as I tilted my head. She snapped her fingers, "Fy-Uno! No, that doesn't start with an A. Um... Aki?" I shook my head playfully. "No? Rats! Uh... wait, you're last name's Tenaga?" I nodded. "Okay... you sit in the back." I nearly laughed out loud. She sounded like one of those crummy fortunetellers. "Don't laugh! You sit in the back by the radio..." She snapped her fingers, "Ascot!" I clapped my hands and she took a playful bow. "For my next trick-no! I'm kidding. I'll see ya later." She waved and walked out to the patio.

I waved back then turned. "Shit!" I cursed. "I hate it when you do that!"

Clef raised an eyebrow and held out his hand. "I'll be having either my Dr. Pepper or my dollar."

I slapped the dollar bill in his palm. I looked over his shoulder to see Eagle and Zazu behind him, both as serious as Clef.

"She's human you know," Clef said as I tried to get by him.

"Yeah so?"

He shook his head and walked by. "We'll talk when we get home pup."

"Feh! Whatever."

**In art class**

I never realized there was so much to say about myself. Umi sat next to me when roll call was finished. Being as it was only the forth week of class, my sketchbook shouldn't have been too damaged. But I had taken that damn thing everywhere. She, naturally, wanted to see the 'fruits of my labor.' Damn Clef for getting that phrase stuck in my head!

Her eyes brightened then she commented on my skill. I cringed and shifted in my chair. She was getting dangerously close to my latest project. Then her mouth hung open all of a sudden while her finger lightly traced the girl on the page. "It's beautiful," she said in awe. "I-is this me?"

I nodded. "Look I can explain."

"Explain what? What, you mean why you drew me, or someone that looks like me?"

I nodded again.

She turned back to the page. "Where is she while she's looking at the full moon?"

"How do you know it's a full moon?"

She shrugged, "Dunno. Maybe it's just cause my mind always flashes to werewolves when I think of night." She pushed her sketchbook toward me. "Go ahead and take a look."

I was blown away by the images on paper. Almost every other page was either a straight sketch or a shaded collage complete with a wolf face and a full moon. At least to start. Then came the almost painfully detailed, and anatomically correct, drawings of a figure upright on two legs with a second backward knee for the ankle. I was pleased that she didn't make her figures too bulky like the average artist would portray werewolves. I reddened and bowed my head as a surge hit my groin when I turned the page and came face to face with a she-wolf lounging seductively by a stream; examining herself. It was absolutely flawless! The perfect blend of human anatomy with a wolf's but the eyes contained just enough wildness to secure the fact of which half was dominant. I turned the page reluctantly and nearly jumped out of my skin. My brother was glaring at me from the page!

"They're okay." I looked up sadly, thinking she meant my sketchbook when in fact she was looking over the edge at her own. "I scared myself shitless when I drew him." She leaned back in her chair and explained how she had planned to attempt a human figure but the lines just morphed themselves into something else. "But what really scared me was, for a split second, I thought I knew who was looking out at me from behind those eyes. Then in a flash it was gone." She shrugged, "You must think I'm crazy huh?"

I laughed, "No way! I thought I knew who this was when I first looked at him too." Her eyes brightened and she leaned in. "I can't... I don't know who I'm thinking of. But I know exactly what you're talking about."

She smiled.

I closed her sketchbook and traded it back for mine. Then I leaned in and beckoned for her to come closer. "You uh, haven't tried to draw vampires by any chance have you?"

Her head jerked back, eyes wide. She looked at me for a second then threw her head back and laughed despite the volume and affect on our classmates. "That's a good one!" she laughed between breaths. "That's really good!"

"No I'm serious."

She stopped abruptly and opened my sketchbook. "I can draw you one if you want-"

"Hell no!" I exclaimed and snatched my book back. "You could draw me a witch before I'd let you put a vampire in here."

She sighed, "Thanks." Her eyes squinted as she looked at me. Her eyes never moved as her hands opened her sketchbook and prepped her mechanical 0.5 pencil. _I wonder how you'd look with fur..._

I tried peeking over the edge but she just pulled her feet up in her chair and put her knees between my eyes and the page. I probably would have seen down her shirt before I got a glimpse of that sketch. Then I knew what she was doing and the same urge struck me. I tore out my sketchbook and slapped together a few rough lines before the bell rang. Neither of us moved. Our eyes were locked on each other's faces while our hands flew like mad.

She was absolutely perfect! She was ravenous about werewolves, despised vampires and witches, _and(!)_ she was interested in me and not Clef!

My surge of creativity fell dead. _Clef... shit! He's waiting for me! He'll tear my ass apart if he finds out that I'm in love with a human. In love?_ My hand started moving faster. The thought of being in love with Umi enthralled me. I tapped into my other half. Ahh... no perfume, no cheating substance to make a male's blood run hot, just her. Oh course there was still the smell of her shampoo in her hair. I can easily sidestep that. I dove a little deeper. Not too much. She likes werewolves... she's probably not ready to meet the real thing. That's okay. I can wait for a while until I find out exactly how far her commitment to the fantasy goes. I could hear her heart beat, faster than normal. Was that just the rush from her artistic side or my effect? I licked my lips, pretending they were dry. Umi nibbled on her lip in response.

Fuck Clef! There was nothing he could do now to make this day like the others. This day came alive.

Thank you Umi...

I'll meet you on the other side soon.

_cheesy grin_ So! Whadya think? Reviews please and please be patient with the snail at the keyboard a.k.a. ME


	3. Clashes of Fang and Claw

Whew! Sorry that took me so long. I just haven't been as enthusiastic about writing as I have been entertaining my brain with other fanfics. The next chapter of Quest for the Ardoneh is almost ready. And will someone PLEASE R&R my Heaven to Hell stories before I yank both of them. It may not seem too bad to those who don't like it... but read my updated bio. (bottom note) You'll see.

Disclaimer: I don't own MKR or the age old folklore of werewolves, vampires, witches, etc.

* * *

chapter 3: Clashes of Fang and Claw

Sometimes I think the peace is only a decoy. A trap to lower our defenses. I better enjoy it while I can. The one who formed this fragile truce is dying. Imagine, a vampire about to die of old age. I don't see how it's possible, but at least that's the story I've been told. And also according to word-of-mouth, Hikaru will be the clan leader when the old leche finally turns to dust. If that's true... we better be far away before she comes to reclaim "lost territory" her predecessor was too weak to hold on to. Wonder what other bullshit the older males expect me to believe. Come on you crazy fucks! I may only be in high school, but I ain't stupid! Least Caldina got all the facts from Lafarga, then it was just a simple matter of waiting to ask the right questions at the right time. She once compared me to Lafarga, after a patient leading her on my part. After what she said I knew all I had to do was smile and I could ask her anything. Man I'm good! Still... I can't help but compare her to mom. Caldina's _exactly_ like mom used to be before dad got knifed.

That blood sucker Presea lured him into a public area where he had to assume human form. I was there, but I was only a pup myself so I couldn't do a damn thing except keep mom out of the crowd. His howl rang in my ears. Presea thought she got away with it. And for years she did, until Eagle and I decided to put aside our rivalry to trap her. But she was smart, I gotta give her that. It took us hours before we finally separated her from Hikaru and Nova (the other two of the 3 sisters) and got her into the park. She pulled out the same knife and fought me with it. I lost control... while Eagle bided his time. Just when she thought she had me beat, a clawed hand ripped out her heart from behind. Eagle twisted her head clean off. One down, two to go. But we both knew neither of us were ready for Nova, never mind Hikaru. Ironically, Eagle and I have been best friends ever since.

But the past is history. Save for last Monday. Monday's have always been hell since mom got her new job. Mornings were okay, if you got out of the house before she guzzled down a pot of coffee or two.

I usually swung by Eagle's place before I headed on home. Least that way no blood would get on my homework when mom took the liberty of tearing the ass out of me. But Ascot was in more of a hurry as usual. Why did he have to have the long legs? Bloody bastard's too fast when he wants to move. Too bad he doesn't know he could come close to outrunning me.

I ran up to Ascot, "You wanna tell me what that was all about?"

He didn't answer. He just walked faster.

"Listen, I don't give a shit that you want to date her." He slowed. "Really! I couldn't give a rat's ass." He walked normally. "Just be careful. You've seen what mom's done to me on a regular basis. You wouldn't be tough enough to take real abuse if she had a reason."

"Anything else preach?" he sighed.

"Yeah," I said with a smirk. "One last thing." I looked over and gave him a toothy grin.

He knew immediately what was on my mind. "You hound!"

I laughed then broke into a sprint, Ascot hot on my tail.

"CLEF TENAGA!!!"

I stopped dead and Ascot came barreling into me. "Ascot listen," I whispered. "Take my stuff and get your ass over to Eagle's flat. I'll meet you there when I can."

Ascot nodded and took my bag.

I walked into the house. The smell of cigarette smoke made my eyes water. My stomach coiled and screamed "RUN!" I took a deep breath and let the fear wash off my face. I walked to the kitchen.

Mom sat lounging in a chair by the table, a burning cigarette hanging limp between her fingers. A bottle of her favorite liquor sat empty next to the cluttered ashtray. I sat down beside her and bowed my head. Her yellow eyes noted I didn't have anything with me. "Where's your stuff?" she asked in her scratchy voice. "Leave it at school again did ya?"

"Yeah."

"It's a wonder you ever get anything done."

"Yes'm."

"Donchou 'yes'm' me," she hissed. "You're just like your father, and your grandmother before him. Ya think they're reliable," she said as she snuffed out her latest cigarette. I watched her flick the package of Virginia Slims and pop out another cigarette then pick up her lighter.

How many cigarettes had she had? I usually gauged the oncoming damage by that. Three: I'd get off with a few trenches down my back, on a good day. Four: I'd have to reconstruct my face. Five:... I'd rather not say. If she'd had six, heh(!), I'd be dragging my broken legs out the back with one arm. Then throw on top of that, she's already had an entire bottle of liquor. That's worse than two packs of cigarettes! You guessed it.

"I tell ya," she said as she cackled. She pointed at me, "The only person you can really count on-"

"Is yourself," I said.

Big mistake.

"Boy! Don't you interrupt me!"

I didn't have time to blink I was already on the floor, trying to shield my face from her claws. Shards of glass grinded against my skull and scrapped my eye, snickering as my mother's savage strikes burrowed them deeper. Already her long, red hair had grown into a shaggy beige pelt. Her talons were full length and coated with blood.

I just sat there for twenty minutes as she sheered the flesh off my back. Painful you think? Not really. Sure it hurt like hell but it was a vague sense of pain. My knees and palms bitched at me for crawling through the last pieces of the broken bottle (the rest were in my face). I drug my useless legs to the stairs and hauled my ass up to my room. All the while mom stalked me on all fours, teeth glistening, throat rumbling. She traced her claws down my stomach, grinning with the intent to gut me.

She never did. As always I made it to my room and she slunk toward her room as I closed the door. I laid on my back and tested every muscle. How could I move? I'd gotten up here, but what really worked? Left arm? Check. Legs? Nope! Don't move those... Right arm? Shit! Not really. Functional but unfavorable. I reach over my head for the bed post and drag my body toward the night stand. I narrowed my good eye at the cordless phone before rattling the stand and making it topple down on my bloody face! Fuck that hurts! At least it was well within reach.

Mom scratched my door, growled, and made the frame shake.

"Goodnight ma!" I called. I could still hear her ragged breathing through the door. "I'll head over to Eagle's and get my stuff. I'll have Ascot kill something for dinner. Okay?"

The breathing stopped and I heard her naked feet walking back across the hall. "You do that," she hissed. Her door slammed.

Normally I'd call Eagle right now. His folks were awesome when it came to stitching. And what I didn't have to mess with, I didn't. But if I tried to change and heal myself, instincts would automatically heal my face, trapping the glass in it and possibly rendering me blind. Nah, go ahead and rule that out. I know! It's a Monday after all and he's gonna be out of town anyway. I hoped she was on her bike. Just picturing her in that black leather suit made heat surge through... for the sake of those who blush easily, I'll leave that out.

I dialed the number for the built in cell phone in her helmet. I hated to ask HER for favors, but I wasn't going to have anybody else see me like this. The guys would never let me forget that my own mother(!) knocked the shit outta me. But then again, they'd piss their fur if she leered at them like she does at me.

_Ring... Ring... Click!_

"Sup?"

"Not me."

"Clef? That you?"

I grinned, "You riddin' my dream?"

She laughed, "Yep!"

"Mm... I feel better already."

She howled then bit her tongue. "You not feeling good hun?"

I smirked at the hint of mischief in her tone. "You'll see," I struggled to spit the words: "I kinda need a favor."

This phrase had almost become code for "Mom clawed me good" between us. Almost. "Hang on there, I'm comin'." I could hear her rev the engine and spin in a 180.

"Thanks Caldina, I owe you."

"Nonsense Clef! I've been keepin' score you know," she said in her usual southern drawl.

"So have I."

She laughed, "Work on those little white lies of yours will ya?"

"Yeah, alright."

Already I could hear her motorcycle roaring from the other side of the window. "Tell me real quick-"

"Whole bottle of boos and at least half a pack, maybe a pack and a half."

"Damn... and that woman can still outrun me!"

I laughed then dropped the phone and wrapped my arm gently around my throbbing ribs. Her voice shouted my name through the receiver. The engine died outside and the front door burst open followed shortly by the sound of mom tearing out of her room.

"Get out of my house bitch!" mom howled, her voice teetering on the edge of an incoherent growl.

Caldina didn't answer.

I could see the whole scene in my mind. Mom's clawed hand reached for the first thing she always threw, the last remaining picture of dad. Caldina, being the most flexible of the pack, retained her human form while feeding off of her other half. Mom collides with the wall and here comes Caldina's footsteps. She sprinted through my door and slammed it right in mom's muzzle. She scooped me up in her arms before I got a clear look at her as mom came barreling through the door. Mom dove for her but Caldina leapt over her and ran out to her bike. I was seated securely in front of her and the engine roared when mom's silhouette stopped at the threshold. "I wouldn't if I were you," Caldina said casually then guided her helmet down over my face. "I'll drop him off at Eagle's so you can have the night to yourself Katie."

I winced, preparing for mom to charge. She hated being called Katie. It was like whoever said it was saying "kitty." Kittens were weak and vulnerable, just like humans. And, of course, Katherine was too proper and ladylike. Mom hadn't minded so much before dad died. But back then things were pretty much perfect.

Caldina drove me to her house, cautiously evading every pothole.

Once settled in her living room she disappeared for a few moments then came back in a skimpy halter top and short, low-rise shorts. She drew the blinds and locked the doors. She paused to take another look at me before disappearing into the kitchen. "I swear," she said as she shook her head. She sighed, "Did you do something this time? Or do I get two guesses what was twisting her tail and the first don't count?"

I didn't answer. Nothing needed to be said.

As usual, I heard the faucet run while the water went from cold, to lukewarm, to hot, to almost scalding. Caldina came back holding a pan of steaming water, a bottle of peroxide tucked under her arm, and a soft, pink washcloth over her shoulder; the sewing box was already on the table next to me. "I just don't get that bitch," Caldina said as she rung the washcloth then started dabbing at the dried blood on my face, being careful of the glass shards. "How long has it been since your pop died?"

I held up five fingers and flashed them twice.

"Really? I thought it was less than that." She smiled then leaned in and licked a clean spot on my forehead, "You grew up too fast."

I arched an eyebrow then winced.

"Donchou move now. I still got to go fishin' for that glass Katie slapped in. Then you'll be on your own."

I gave her the thumb's up then tried not to clench my teeth too tight as the rag got closer and closer to the glass. Then came the needle to chase after the smallest splinters she couldn't get out with her talons. After all eighteen- OUCH!!- make that nineteen, shards were out she wiped off the last of the blood then helped me get my shirt off. My jeans were pretty much ruined, too stained to do a damn thing about, but the belt had to go. Caldina helped me get down on the floor, onto the rug she'd been trying to convince Lafarga to get rid of, then stepped back but remained at the ready. This sort of shit had become almost routine for us. Heh... I was practically putting her through medical school. Last week it was the leg of a chair through my calf. Two days after that it had been all the forks in the kitchen drawer in my back, thank the moon we don't have many utensils. The joke between us is what's mom gonna put up my ass first.

I laid on my back, panting hard. Nothing happened.

"Come on Clef," Caldina urged. She glanced at the clock in the kitchen, "Your boys are waiting for you and my man's coming home."

"I thought he was out of town this week," I wheezed.

She shrugged then shook her head, "Naw, Lafarga ain't headin' out till tomorrah."

My body jerked. There was the split second of incisive pain when my bones snapped back into place then snapped again as they twisted into a different shape. I could feel my tail squirming under the skin of my back like a worm on a hook. Pressure, everywhere my jeans hit. I whimpered then snarled and used my good arm to rip long lines down the front of my jeans. Caldina laughed as I flopped around, trying to get the shreds off my feet. I curled into a ball and watched my hands change as I stretched my jaws. It was at this point that I realized how much I reveled in the process of change. The sweet feeling so many describe as familiar power surges through the body.

I could hear Caldina almost purr as she rolled me on my stomach and ran her nails through my gray fur. "You did good," she cooed. "You did good." She looked at the clock again, "Come to think of it, Lafarga's not gonna be home for 'bout another hour." I raised my head then rose up to crouch on all fours. She ran her fingers down my arm, feeling the increase in my muscles. She turned her eyes to me. I almost shivered (just a male's natural reaction to a female feeling her calling) at the fire in her eyes.

Her eyes faded to a light blue as blonde streaks ran from her scalp to the end of her hair. She closed her eyes and arched her back as she raised her arms up over her head. I immediately pushed myself between her thighs and wrapped my arm around her waist while my other hand slid up her abdomen, pushing the rim of her top up over her breasts then down the length of her arms. I watched her blonde pelt smooth itself after my hand passed over. She opened her mouth and moaned as a ripple ripped down her spine, making her quiver. The vibration crashed into me. Whatever she wanted after that... she got the best I had to give. She knew how to get me hooked.

An hour later Lafarga's car pulled up in the driveway and I scrambled through the bedroom window and out into the forests surrounding Caldina's home. Lafarga's voice called out after me, "You forgot something!" My shirt landed softly on the grass. I screwed my eyes shut and crawled back to the backdoor. Taking my shirt in my teeth, I turned when Lafarga's growl rumbled out from the bedroom window. His light brown eyes trying to shoot lazars at me, or some other useless shit like that, from overtop his bared teeth.

I heard Caldina sigh and get up from the bed, catching Lafarga's attention. "Honestly Lafarga, he's just a pup! He ain't got nothin' on you anyways."

I grinned. I'd never known Caldina to lie. I sauntered off, thinking of every time I'd made her moan, groan, sigh, and beg.

The only problem with going to Caldina's was the fact that my house was between Caldina's flat and Eagle's. And I mean smack in the middle. I knew that after their fight, I'd not only have to put my door back in the frame but the usual appeasement of two coneys had to be laid on mom's backdoor or I better not come home for the rest of my life.

The skinny ones were always easiest to catch but tacky and were never good in a stir fry, which was mom's specialty. What I found, instead, would be horrifying to your eye but mmm it's tasty! Tying the openings in my shirt I emptied the rabbit den of every last one of the offspring while the mother frantically bit my hand and ate two of her children. All the fatter you become! She was a handful though. I managed to pull the mom out of her den by her foot, she bit my hand, and bolted. But she never got far. I took her throat as payment for catching the little shit and left her and her litter on mom's doorstep. Why did mom have to be staring at me before I got there?! I forced myself to stick my tail between my legs and slowly slunk to her door, only to have her burst out and snatch my shirt, nearly yanking my teeth out with it, and kick my face.

As I scampered away, I took a chance and glanced over my shoulder. She was nowhere to be found. I let out a shuttered sigh. Why did I even bother?

Little did I know mom was on the phone with Eagle. "Take the garbage out will ya," she hissed. "I can smell it all the way over here."

"Yes'm," was Eagle's reply. "Thanks for the head's up."

I was in Eagle's backyard, hidden in the trees, listening to the sounds of the base and lead guitar. Son of a bitch started without me! Still I waited then finally gave up and checked the trash can. As planned, there was the blue plastic sack with jeans, T-shirt, and a black over shirt. It didn't take me long to change or to wash Caldina's scent off of me. Which I had to be careful of or Mr. Vision would be on me about it all night.

I rang the doorbell as I stuffed the sack in my pocket and Mrs. Vision answered, smiling as always. "We were getting worried about you," she said. "Eagle was about ready to come looking for you."

I chuckled, "It's good to know I have a nanny."

She giggled. "Well come on in." She closed the door behind me. "Gabriel's out back on the grill. Are you staying with us for dinner?"

"Probably not."

"Another fight with your mother?" she asked softly, her voice full of sympathy.

I nodded, "Yeah."

"You alright?"

"Yeah, I'm good."

She smiled, "You're welcome here anytime, you know that. And your 'boyz' wanted me to tell you they're waiting for you downstairs."

I saluted, "Thanks Maggie- er, Mrs. Vision."

She waved her hand, "You can call me Maggie anytime you want. This house, is your house too. Just do me a favor, get your brother off the mike!"

I shuddered, "Yes ma'am," then darted for the basement door.

As soon as I opened the door Eagle shut everybody up to try to explain how Ascot was supposed to hit a note. "Dude! For the fifteenth time-"

"Problems?" I called.

"The savior has arrived!" Zazu cried, instantly recognizing my voice.

"Clef?" Eagle called, then came over to the base of the stairs to check. He sighed, "Thank the Moon, now we can get something done around here!"

"Hey! I tried ya know!" Ascot barked.

"And I'm sure you did a mediocre job," I retorted as I tossed my over shirt on the sofa in the corner.

Eagle's basement was every teenager's paradise. There was a pool table in the corner. A bigger TV than I could find a stick to shake at it, mounted against the far wall. Course the best stereo his parents could get once they found we were actually good and took requests. Gabriel (a.k.a. Mr. Vision) even had to come down and make sure it was us playing and not the CD player.

"As always," Zazu spat, as his hands unconsciously went through the drum movements again. "You sure this guy's had lessons?"

"Yeah," I replied as I took my guitar from Ascot. "He just doesn't worship the art. But hey," I said nonchalantly as I checked the chords. "He's alright on the keyboard. We all know that."

Ascot smiled shyly and muttered, "Thanks."

"Now listen, pup, and take some notes."

I hadn't taken the Wish List from Eagle's parents that Eagle handed me when the hair on the back of my neck stood on end. Jolts undulated down my spine, rattling my bones with the urge for the change. I put my guitar down before my hands crushed it. The tips of my ears were already pointed, despite my determination to remain in human form. My senses heightened, highlighting the sudden aroma of burning flesh. I turned to Eagle, who was also trembling to hold back the change. "You're pop's grillin' hamburgers right?"

Eagle shook his head, "But it shouldn't smell like that."

Gabriel's voice shouted as the screen door to the patio clanged shut. "What the hell?!"

A young girl's scream shrilled from outside, and Hikaru's laugh echoed. Eagle, Ascot, and Zazu tore upstairs to reinforce Gabriel then the gunshot rang out and Gabriel howled in pain. I set my sights on the basement window and launched myself headfirst through the glass then clawed my way out onto the patio, narrowly dodging the silver bullet from Lantis' pistol. Eagle burst through the screen door, half changed, eyes blazing in a raging fury. I tore off my shirt and somersaulted out of my jeans and tore off after Hikaru and Lantis' crow's nest in the trees. The girl screamed again, more in torment now than fear. I glanced up to make sure I had the right tree in my target sight and saw the girl's arm had been ripped out of socket. I cringed, connecting the new info with what was still simmering on the grill.

"You're doing so well," I heard Hikaru say to the girl. "Now say 'Help me.'"

"Help me," the girl whimpered.

"Say 'Help me Clef."

"Help me Clef!" she cried.

"'Save me! Save me!!'"

"SAVE ME! SAVE ME!!!"

Hikaru roared in laughter as the girl wailed her pleas.

Sick bitch... that was low even for her.

The girl screamed as she saw my lumbering form bolt for the tree she was trapped in. Something was surprisingly familiar about that pitch.

Zazu's voice cried, "Sara!"

Sara... Sara! Now I remember, Sara is Zazu's little sweetheart. Shit. That complicates things. She's seen me and Eagle come out of the house. Not to mention she knows what Hikaru is by now. I can smell Sara's blood wafting from Hikaru's laugh and seeping through two holes in Sara's neck. There's no hope for her now... sorry Zazu...

Fortunately for Gabriel, unfortunately for me, Lantis' sights are on me. The occasional bullet sheers my shoulder and stings like thousands of hornets combine with the bite of peroxide.

"That's enough babe," Hikaru cooed to Lantis. He stows his pistol. "Save your bullets for someone who'll need them."

"Wouldn't we be doing him a favor?" Lantis asked.

They don't react to how close I am, merely meters from tearing the skin from their faces. Then I catch the glint of moonlight on Nova's hair and the silver barrel. She giggles and the bullet explodes, luckily going straight through my shoulder. I howl and drop from the tree and sprint back to the house.

Gabriel's propped up against the wall below the window. Ascot's digging around in the drawers and tossing washrags to Eagle to mop up the blood while Zazu's hunting below Gabriel's collarbone for the wayward bullet. Gabriel's eyes slip shut and Eagle jostled him to keep him awake. I can smell his skin burn to ash around where the bullet lies. Tears moisten my eyes. For the first time, since Presea cornered my father, I'm helpless. Zazu's brow glistened and his hands started to lose their mechanical precision as the hissing grew louder and Gabriel's struggling gasps shallowed. Eagle screamed at his father to keep him awake but the pain's rendered him deaf. Anger glowed behind my eyes and I shoved Zazu aside as I grew the talons on my index, middle, and thumb until they were longer than my stretched digits and dug in forcefully enough to make Gabriel wince and snap back to consciousness. His hand clamped down on my injured shoulder, making me whine and whimper and dig faster making him clench all the harder. The tips of my talons tapped against the edge of the bullet and I jerked it out. Gabriel howled then let out a heaving sigh of relief. Maggie rushed to his side, brushing me away gently, and gathered her mate in her arms. Eagle put his arm around my shoulder and let his head collide with my arm.

The phone rang, making Ascot jump and snatch up the receiver just so it wouldn't chime again. The caller ID read an unknown number but the voice was hideously common, "Tell Clef he better keep better tabs on his females." Then the line went dead.

Ascot absentmindedly relayed the message, "Someone just said you better keep better tabs on your females bro." My eyes widened and Ascot dropped the phone as his face went white. "Mom..."

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So? Was it worth the wait? Please R&R and read the last note of my bio. And I mean really read into it. As some of you may have noticed, my style is not to come right out and tell someone what's going on, look into it a bit, that's why so many people got confused with the last chapter of Without the Mask. And, by the way, the namesake of that title comes into full effect in the upcoming epilogue. What? You thought I was done? Shakes head nope, I'm going for at least fifty reviews!!


	4. Call to Witches

Hi all! Sorry I took so long, I've been working on another story... as some may know. And therefor, I have a note at the bottom of this. But for now, Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I wish!... but wishing never filled a fool's belly

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chapter 4: Call to Witches 

I hadn't had time to drop the receiver before Clef had torn out through the screen door, nearly wrenching it from its hinges. Eagle broke out after him, taking his shirt off and throwing it on the front lawn before disappearing into the forest. I snapped at Zazu, "Stay with Gabriel!" and dashed out after them. I cursed as I tried to get my shoes off after throwing my shirt at the base of a nearby tree. I tripped, fell, and ripped my shoes off before getting to my feet again; now racing the change to get my clothes off in time. I didn't notice my lurching strides as my bones snapped and reformed. All I could think of is what I was going to do to that parasite if she laid one hand on my mother.

Already I could smell the blood splashing the grass. Clef's furious howl slapped my ears and rang, threatening to make my eardrums burst. Eagle's battle cry echoed him an I knew the fight was on.

I spotted Lantis dragging my mom's mangled body into a tree. Clef was on the ground, cradling his wounded arm. Eagle had his back to Clef, keeping his eyes on Hikaru. I didn't see Nova until I charged Lantis and she tackled me from the shadows.

Clef saw Nova pull Presea's dagger from her boot and snapped. Eagle sprang away from Clef and clung low to the ground.

Next I knew, I was on my back watching Nova's face whiten as Clef's hand punched through her chest and his teeth clamping down on her shoulder. She screamed as he threw her off of me, charged her blindly, and had her in a storm of furious slashes before she hit the ground. "Bloody bastard!" she hissed. "Get offa me!"

Hikaru shrieked from the trees, "Get away from her!" She snatched her gun from her belt and unloaded a couple of rounds into Clef's back. He didn't so much as flinch. Instead he chomped down on Nova's throat. She pounded at his eyes with her fists then groped for the dagger at her side, just beyond her finger's reach. Seeing her plan, Clef jerked her away from the dagger, bit down harder, and started ripping his talons through her belly.

Hikaru plunged her heel into the back of Clef's neck and bounced off him as if she hit a boulder. "Get off her!!"

"Let her up or the bitch dies!" Lantis bellowed.

Clef froze and glared up his brow at Lantis.

Mom's fur was slowly slipping back into her body... we had 15 minutes at most.

Clef unlocked his jaws, slunk off of the whimpering Nova, then gave her a good swift kick with his back foot, connecting with her ribs. She wailed, coughed, choked, and sputtered then curled into herself, pressing her hands to her belly and chest. Hikaru scooped Nova up in her arms then spun toward Lantis. "Drop her!" she yelled. "We have to go!"

Lantis scowled and muttered under his breath, "This wouldn't have happened had Zagato kept his promise." To Hikaru, "Go! I'll catch up!"

Hikaru glanced at Clef then back to Lantis. Her head snapped sideways as she heard Eagle stalking up from behind. I got to my feet, crouched low, and set my sights on Hikaru.

"One move cub!" Lantis bellowed. He cocked his pistol and crushed the barrel against mom's temple. "Let them go and you can have your bitch back."

Clef stood rigid while Hikaru and Nova made their getaway. I could only imagine how much he was cursing his luck that Lantis had the upper hand. We all knew if mom wasn't about to sail to the stars Clef would have gone ballistic. As it was I could see the rage in his eyes starting to wane, fatigue was creeping in. He was still bleeding badly and the adrenaline had only made him loose more blood.

After a few agonizing seconds, Lantis stood in the tree and let mom's limp body slip through his grasp. Clef dove for her. Lantis trailed him with his pistol. Both Lantis and I jumped when Eagle snarled, snapped his jaws so they sounded like splintering bones, and made a mock lunge for Lantis. Lantis fired at Eagle, who easily dodged, then hit that supersonic speed vampires can and was gone.

Clef fielded mom like he was catching an egg, gave her a quick once over, then barked at Eagle. Eagle darted to his side and took mom in his arms.

Seeing my brother and Eagle side by side made me realize in just how bad a way Clef was in. His pelt had thinned and his snout wasn't half its normal length. I could see traces of lavender coming back to crown his head and his eyes were a darker blue. I watched in horror as he turned human.

"You remember where the Hououji's live?" he asked me sharply.

I stood stupid.

"Do you remember??" he bellowed. "For Moon's sake you had a project with her last week!"

The image of a small gray house flashed before my eyes and the map of that area fell into place. I nodded.

He smiled, "Good. Show Eagle the way... I'll meet you there."

I shook my head and looped to his side. His head was nodding like he was about to doze off. He was on the border of unconsciousness.

The fire sprinted back to his eyes and they turned their feral, glacial blue. His hand commanded its former strength and he yanked me to the ground, pressing my nose into the dirt, holding the scruff of my neck. "No games shithead!" he hissed. "Do it or I will! Then your life as you know it is over!"

I jerked away from him, leaving a fistful of my hair in his clenched fingers. For once my mind was spinning faster than I could keep up. Ideas flashed left and right.

Clef was getting to his feet, bristling with rage, the change taking over. I crouched down low and slunk away from him a little. "Go," he growled with the last of his human tongue. I shook my head and he lashed out at me. I grinned and shook my head again then froze...

He was in full fur and the wild insanity was creeping back in his eyes.

I rolled the dice to take a look at Eagle. He looked at me and Clef charged.

I knew I couldn't outrun my brother so I prayed the wounds would slow him down and the adrenaline wouldn't make him bleed out. My instincts veered me away from busy streets. I could smell Eagle behind Clef (I can't say how happy I was that he didn't howl and draw attention to himself). But I knew, or at least hoped, that he would keep his muzzle shut.

I lead them through the downtown alleyways and into the suburbs, then passed and beyond, into an old part of town with rundown houses. She had made the 'mistake' of telling me she had stayed at her mother's house for a while, and that she and her sister lived further toward the outskirts. She even made me remember the address! Talk about crazy.

The gray house was in sight. I glanced over my shoulder to see Clef still hot on my tail but the fire in his eyes was gone. He was wheezing and lurched forward with every step. Eagle ran beside him, occasionally throwing his hand out to steady Clef when he stumbled.

The lights were on in the basement, slicing through the oncoming dusk through a square window. I ran ahead and peered in. Good, the mother was probably up on the main floor. At least I hoped she was.

Taking a quick step back, I dove through the window, somersaulted on the floor, and came up... a little short. The girl at the herb table shot up from her chair, knocking it over, and screamed. Out of nowhere a hiss sounded and four sets of needle claws and a mouthful of teeth did all the damage it could to the side of my face. I threw the cat off, not noticing at the time that it was green, and clamped my hand over the girl's mouth.

A woman in a rippling, airy green dress flew down the stairs. "Fuu!" she cried. "Are you- Let her go!"

I, being the stupid one, did. Fuu sprinted away from me and the woman blasted me with some scalding variation of St. Elmo's fire. I hit the wall and curled up in a ball. Simultaneously, the other window of the basement and the main door on the floor above our heads burst open. Clef made his entrance through the window, and, in a gray blur, snatched up Fuu. His good arm pulled her back into him then his talons were gently raking across the skin of her throat. He opened his jaws and made the motion of biting down on Fuu's shoulder. She whimpered as tears streamed down her cheeks. The green cat hissed from the window ledge, but didn't dare move.

"What is the meaning of this?" the woman demanded.

As if on cue, Eagle came down the stairs cradling Mom. Her natural healing instincts had kicked in, but there was still too much to do, and the loss of blood was slowing the process too much.

Being the only one with no bartering chip or holding the reason for the journey, I assumed human form and stared straight at the woman. "We have a proposition for you," I said cooly, trying to sound how Clef would speak (he was always better at bargaining than I ever was).

The woman looked disgusted. "And if I refuse?" she retorted.

I shrugged. "Then he'll kill your sister."

Clef growled and tensed his hold on Fuu's throat, making her scream.

"Fine!" the woman snapped. "Put the bitch on the floor and stand aside."

I was amazed by how quickly she worked. Leaves from herb plants picked and ground themselves together as she prepped a suture needle. The air reeked of witchcraft and energy. She kept one eye on her work while the other was glued to the Clef's talons on Fuu's throat. Grinding bowl after bowl floated from its mixing station to her hand. She chanted incantations in some bizarre language (sounded like something from Mordor), snatched a fistful of the ground powder, and threw it in the air the length of mom's body. The cloud shimmered as it landed on mom. Mom's body jerked in an arc like on those ER shows then laid still. I could hear her breathing return to normal, like she was sleeping. As it turned out, the suture needle wasn't needed. Bowls went back to where they were before. Leaves arranged themselves in piles on the table. Leftover dust remained in the bowls.

The woman glared at Clef, "Now!-"

Mom groaned as her face twisted. What was wrong with her? I was about to give the nod to Clef to keep his end of the bargain (although he wouldn't have listened anyway), when Mom moaned then called, "David!"

My heart sank, she was calling for Dad.

The woman looked at Mom and sympathy washed her fierce expression. "Poor woman," she whispered. To Clef (after she looked him up and down): "Take your human skin then come here."

I expected Clef to be hesitant, but he dropped Fuu (who ran for the stairs), then did as he was told.

"Does she know how her mate died?" the woman asked.

Clef shook his head, "I don't believe so."

"She never got to say goodbye?"

"No."

She scooted back and sat on her knees. "Take her in your arms."

Again he obeyed without question. Gently holding mom in his good arm, he gazed at her face with an encrypted look on his face. Mom opened her eyes and looked in his. "David?" she whispered. Her eyes were glazed and hazy.

My eyes widened. It hadn't clicked until then just how much Clef looked like Dad, right down to the smirk.

Clef started to shake his head, then stopped, and smiled.

"It is you!" Mom gasped. She threw her arms around Clef's neck just before claiming his lips. "Thank the Moon!"

I was too busy gawking at the scene of Mom trying to french Clef to notice the woman slowly rising to one knee behind Clef, her hand receding to her boot and fingering the hilt of a silver dagger. Had she known several bullets were still imbedded in Clef's back she probably wouldn't have bothered. Bullets?! How the hell was he still breathing??

It didn't matter. She drew the blade, held it poised, and Clef gave in to exhaustion and loss of blood. Mom caught him in her arms, screaming Dad's name as she stroked Clef's head. The only reason I think she snapped out of the daze was because Clef's hair wasn't as long as Dad's had been at the back of his head. Her yellow eyes sharpened and she sat still, trying to gain some bearing as to where she was. Then she felt the limp weight of Clef's body in her arms. Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped as her brain registered his every wound.

Fuu peeked back down to see if the drama was over, and found her sister with a dagger in her hand. "Kuu no!" she cried. But Kuu didn't move to strike.

The air was stagnant as it held its breath. I was watching a movie in slow-mo. Mom cradled Clef in her arms, kissed his forehead, caught the glint of Kuu's dagger from the corner of her eye, and moaned as she started to rock. "Please... don't take my baby too."

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Likes? Hope so! Please Review!

Also, I know I've made mention to this several times (threatened more or less), but now I'm serious! I'm turning my novel into a project I have to get done for school (more insentive for me to write I guess) so I won't be writing much fanfiction. I hope to put up one last chapter on _Without the Mask_ (there will not be a sequel now)and possibly finish _Confused Loyalties_. Since I only have one reviewer for ANY of my Heaven to Hell series, I'll just email the chapters to Iamagod if the mood strikes to write. Otherwise, regretfully, _Quest for the Ardoneh_ may be left unfinished. If that completely irks you (especially since I've left Clef in such a predicament) email me and I can pretty much give you the gist of how it ends. All my stories I had up on my bio earlier... not looking too good. But you may hear from me once in a blue moon. I probably sat down and finished the last three pages of this chapter in one sitting because I had such bad writer's block on my novel. Beyond that though...


	5. The Gathering

I'm back! Whew, I'm glad the worst of that's over. The first manuscript is officially finished, now I just have to edit the whole damn thing. But I'm taking a break from that right now so I thought I'd come back and see how everybody's doing. I apologize that my first chapter back is from this story (since most people prefer Quest for the Ardoneh). I'm suddenly bored of that one due to its simplicity. I don't know, I like being able to talk with these characters more I guess. Anyway! Enough of my chattering. I've got about three more minutes before I have to go to class so- without further ado!

Enjoy

Disclaimer: damn I've been bad about this! I don't own MKR or the characters therein -I really don't see why we do this. It's a given!

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chapter 5: The Gathering 

What the fuck! Has Lafarga absolutely lost his fucking mind! Geo is gone already (either gone or dead, take your pick it doesn't matter)! We have other things to worry about. So I'm one year short of being old enough for the gatherings, _I'm the one on the inside!_ Don't I have two classes a day with the soon-to-be-leech-queen? Yeah! I think so! Ascot wonders why the hell I'm always late for last block, here's why. I'm tailing that parasite through downtown after lunch. "Oh, but she won't make any moves in the daytime." You ass! That's _exactly_ when she makes her moves. Her fuck buddy stays back to keep up appearances while she gets her drones in line. She knows we wouldn't expect her to do anything in daylight! But you're all worried about a good friend _you_ chased out just because he wanted to break all barriers between him and a woman.

Yeah I know, I'm supposed to be the one against liaisons with humans. But so long as you're careful, there isn't a problem.

What? What's that look for? Huh? What do you mean 'back the truck up'? Me? Yeah, I'm fine. How? (Sigh) To make a long story _very_ short, I almost bled out and... blacked out. No I didn't 'pass out'! No I didn't 'faint'. Let's see how you do when you loose all but three out of seven quarts of blood. Yeah, Ascot left that out 'cause he was too busy watching to make sure he didn't trip than to look back. Anyway! Getting back to the point. Mom woke up, not a scratch on her, I blacked out, Eagle used his head and played on Fuu's sympathy to get her sister to heal me. Naturally the older sister didn't want us hanging around so we split. Eagle's dad pulled some strings and got an old high school buddy to smuggle out two blood transfusions and brought 'em down. Thing is though, this guy got a good look at my mom and smelled she was single. So he's staying at a hotel two miles away with "two" things in mind: keep an eye on me (my 'condition'), help out with the Hikaru issue, and what he didn't mention, sniff out my mom. Watch yourself hot dog, I'm not above having you fixed.

So does that answer your question? Oh _that_ one. Well come on, let's have it. What's up with Ascot? Well in the last week he's been chasing his tail and a certain blue hair (literal, not the slang sense). They've hit it off quick. Heh, he thinks he's being sneaky. Thinks I'm still too far out of it not to notice him slipping his hand around her shoulders. HA! I almost yelled "brakes!" one time. He had the guts to whisper the usual in her ear and almost tripped over himself to kiss her. Yeah that flopped as I thought it would, but she thought it was... I hate this word... cute. So she decides to kiss him as kinda an "A for effort" deal. Not only does she almost get to the point where she's eating his tongue, but she did something that brought a gleam to the hall monitor's forehead. Wasn't till later I figured out she was just putting on a show 'cause I was watching. Heh, I've done worse with the women I've fooled around with. But despite what Ascot has told you, I don't sleep with any of them. What? Caldina? ... Yeah, okay, you got me there.

But that's beside the point. It's finally Saturday. Ascot's blown off rocking at Eagle's flat to go off to some burger stand with _her_. So that leaves me, Eagle, and Zazu. We're taking a break for a steak lunch, compliments of Mrs. Vision (since Gabriel's arm is still in a sling and he hates grilling left handed). I'm having to eat mine like finger-food since I've still got three or four holes in my shoulders and a few more broken bones than I bargained for (the witch only got me stable). Maggie's gone back inside for the potato salad, chips, dip, and all that stuff. Zazu's not all there since what happened to Sara (I can only assume she's a parasite by now). Eagle's looking at me, then gives the nod toward his dad.

"Lafarga any closer to calling another gathering?" Eagle asked as he nonchalantly took a swig of his coke.

Gabriel sighed, "Who's to say." He added sternly, "Not that it matters to either of you since you're both too young."

"Just what makes us too young?" I challenged.

Gabriel leaned in with a warning in his eye. "A law _your_ father set before he died. When you're seventeen you'll be old enough," he said, leaning back. "Even then you'll be tested."

"Heh, no wonder the females have slim pickens," I muttered.

I heard Gabriel let out a warning growl.

"No seriously," I continued. "Have you counted how many 'mature' males this pack has now? Geo's exiled. Dad's dead. So that leaves Lafarga, you, Rudy, and Ethan. You and Lafarga are already mated so that leaves the two of you out. Of course, I'm not counting your buddy from Tokyo, the lame ones: Aki and Tye, and the loner: Marik- who's never around anyway."

"Dad," Eagle broke in. "Clef's just worried about what's gonna happen when Arkill finally crumbles and gets sprinkled in the pine box. Hikaru's next in line."

"What about-" Gabriel never got to finish.

Eagle shook his head, "Lantis knows where his blood's hottest. His brother's been MIA for the last month. So that just leaves that pirate woman -Zeri... something- with her first mate and the twisted sister."

"Sisters," I corrected.

"Sisters?" Eagle asked. "I'm not counting Hikaru."

"The ex-blonde's twin," I said. "I caught her scent outside the house just yesterday."

"They found a replacement for Presea?" Gabriel asked. His face was pale and he reeked of anxiety.

"Oh yeah," I said with a nod. "They don't screw around."

"That's why we need to start going to the gatherings," Eagle said as if on cue. "Clef and I know Hikaru better than any of the pack."

Gabriel was somberly nodding his head. He picked up his tea and muttered over the rim, "I'll see what I can do."

Our timing couldn't have been sweeter. Mrs. Vision came out just a second after Gabriel finished talking with three plates stacked up her arm (like those Mexican waiters) and two bowls of chips somehow arranged under her other arm. "Who's hungry?" she asked with a smile. Gabriel immediately perked up and looked completely oblivious to the wheels still turning in his brain.

Eagle dashed up to help Maggie but she shuffled away from him saying, "You'll make me drop 'em before you could get 'em off my arm!" So he got pointed to one of the chip bowls and took that.

"Now that's talent," Zazu said.

That was the first and only sentence he said all through lunch. Poor kid. I checked on him from time to time and he was just poking at his steak; Maggie had gone through all the tricks in the book to cook it with all the seasonings and keep the meat as raw as possible. He kept glancing up at the tree branch we all last saw Sara when he thought no one was looking. Twice I... never mind, you get that the kid's a wreck.

Nobody really felt like jamming afterwards, myself too sadly. My shoulder had taken all the damage I cared to give it. Eagle and I both were too focused on what would happen if Gabriel somehow got us into the next gathering. So I split and headed for home at seven- how the hell time flies!

Now I'm almost home and here comes an eruption of someone laughing. I just shake my head and hurry for home. My mind's pulled its little trick in reminding me who's scent I picked up the other night. The smell of mom's cooking blocked any chance I had of picking up anything. But there's the laughter again when I reach the front steps. It's not a menacing laugh, but it's still too close for my coiled nerves' liking. I tried not to let my head snap around, but the laughter erupted again; this time, five feet from me. My nerves cooled immediately.

Ascot was standing on the sidewalk, his hands in his pockets with her arm looped through his. She beamed a wide grin right in my face. I just smirked and shook my head. Mom's cooking shot up my nose and I took a deep whiff. "I take it you both ate?" I asked.

"Yeah, why?" she asked, throwing a... no that doesn't work- Let's just say she sounded like one of those blonde cheerleaders.

I shrugged, "Just curious."

"Curiosity killed the cat," she retorted then turned to Ascot as she lifted up on her toes.

"Ah, but satisfaction brought him back," I quipped.

"Feh, whatever," she scoffed. She turned to Ascot and smiled, "I'll see you Monday?"

"Yeah," he said warmly.

I turned my back as they leaned in to kiss. Once I gently twisted my wrist to get a look at my watch (slings are shit! And playing with a bad power arm isn't good for it either, I know). No sound except for one contented sigh. The aroma from the kitchen hit me again. I couldn't take it anymore. "You walking her home?" I asked. "Or are you gonna cut your balls off and give 'em to her too?"

"I can walk myself home," she snorted.

"I'm sure," I said. "But are you sure you want to walk home, alone, at this time of night?" I was trying to give Ascot a hint, but the dickhead didn't get it.

For some reason I didn't get the snarling sarcasm from her again. "Should I be worried?" she asked sincerely. Apparently, she wasn't so stupid.

I turned. "This neighborhood's usually pretty good, but I've been hearing an old clunker cruising the streets about this time. You know the one I'm talking about bro." He nodded. I looked at her. Her face was pale and her pupils shrunk. Her heartbeat was quicker too. I shrugged my good shoulder and smiled. "It's nothing to worry about. From the sound of that engine it'd keel over before it could accelerate if you were to run from it."

She smiled. Huh, for the first time I could see something worth attention.

I smiled back, shook my head, and looked at Ascot. "Well, you've eaten, I'm hungry, and she's gotta walk home. And if you won't walk her home, I will."

Ascot wrapped an arm around her waist and walked off.

As soon as I stepped in the door the phone rang. Mom answered then hollered for me. "Clef, phone!"

I picked up the receiver in the living room. "Got it!" I called. "Y-ello?"

"Clef?" a gruff voice asked.

"Speaking."

Several deep, growling breaths, then nothing. "You got balls kid, I'll give you that."

"I'm sorry, I don't remember tee-peeing anybody this week."

"Caldina, you fuck."

"Oh! Hello Lafarga."

"You won't be so nonchalant Thursday."

"And what's Thursday?"

"You're gonna call in sick-"

"Tell me doc, is it fatal?"

"Could be," he growled.

"Yeah, well, you were saying?"

"Call in sick, and be at Gabriel's at eight."

"So then-"

click!

I pulled the receiver away and looked at it. "It's a date."

"Clef!" Mom called. "Get yer ass in here or I'll eat this myself!"

This was like a roadrunner move. I dropped the receiver, it somehow landed back on the hook, and bolted for the kitchen. I hit my chair so hard I winced and almost slid off the other side. Mom howled as I checked myself and looked up with anxious eyes at the plate she was hanging over my head. I waited then looked at her with the saddest puppy eyes I could manage. "Now that's just cruelty to animals."

Again she howled then laid the plate down. I wolfed mine down in one gulp while she slowly ate her stir fry. Baby rabbits... yum!

That night couldn't have gotten any better! Mom was happy. I was fed fat and content. We were talking and laughing like we used to in the old days when we were waiting for dad to come home. It was perfect. Then it all shattered with a knock at the door.

I didn't think much of it. Mom jumped up and bolted for the door. She answered with that flirtatious, excited giggle only women can do. A deep groggy voice told her to keep it down, that he had a headache. My back straightened at the very instant his voice hit my ears. It was Maximus (I didn't bother to learn his last name), a.k.a. "Max," Gabriel's friend from Tokyo. So I might owe my life to him, I thanked him and expected him to be on his merry way. If only. The hound smells no male scent except for mine and Ascot's in the house and even I can catch the scent of Mom's excitement from across the house. Max says he's tired then starts herding her up to the bedroom before she can say anything else.

"Night ma!" I hollered.

"Oh!" she said. "Goodnight Clef."

"Who's the kid?" Max asked, thinking it was too low for me to hear.

"My youngest-"

"Never mind (smooch). Go on up, I'll be there in a sec."

"M-kay!"

She hurried up while his heavy footsteps came down the stairs and across the linoleum floor. Big boots. Probably size thirteen. Steel toe. He came in and circled around to the fridge on my left and helped himself to one of mom's remaining beers. He took a big swig then leaned against the counter. "So you're Kate's boy?" he asked then a brick hit him. "Oh yeah! How you doin'? That arm feeling any better?" He turned and helped himself to a mouthful of the stir fry. "Mm! Good stuff!" He licked his fingers and raised the beer can as if to toast to something. "Well! You let me know if you have any problems." With that he walked off.

Fine specimen huh?

I started to help myself to seconds then suddenly lost my appetite. The entire neighborhood could have turned their stereos up full blast and it wouldn't have blocked the creaking springs. Teens with gutter minds tend to have better hearing than most (but you shouldn't when it's your own mother!). Still, I had to get outta there before I did something stupid. I knew I couldn't kick him out with a bad arm, besides, he would be easily twice my size in fur. I dumped my dishes in the sink, grabbed some green, left a note for mom, and split. I turned and looked up at mom's window. "Guess his headache's better," I muttered.

Max stayed and acted like he was the fucking pack leader! Ascot didn't care. As usual the little shit was out with his new bitch kitty. Monday night he came home with the bushiest tail you'd ever seen! The grin almost wouldn't fit on his face. Talk about zero to sixty. She cooled off a bit on the sarcasm too. Tuesday she tried coming over to Eagle's flat to hang out. I don't think so meat, dudes only! Thing was, Ascot decided to be a dick and said he wouldn't play if she couldn't be in the basement. I don't know which made my power arm itch more: strangling him or the need to jam.

You may or may not believe what happened next; I know I didn't.

She sat on the couch, swinging her foot while we played some of our favorites from Aerosmith, Van Halen, and Kansas. She let out a whoop when we tore the ass out of "Just Push Play."

"I gotta admit," she said when we were debating the next song. "Your good Clef. I've never heard anyone scat like Steve Tyler. You know any Fleetwood Mac?"

"Go your own way with it," I said, figuring she wouldn't get it.

"Okay," she said, "you know Fleetwood. What about STYX?"

The guys chortled. "Look," Eagle said, "we eat, breathe, and sleep any rock from the 80s up. We know Journey, Bon Jovi, Boston, Pink Floyd, Led Zepplin, ZZ Top, STYX, Aerosmith, Van Halen, Kansas, The Doors, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Tom Petty, Alice Cooper, Ozzy Osbourne, Black Sabbath, REM, Golden Earring, Dire Straits... need I continue?"

She shrugged.

"Alright then," I challenged. "Give us a group or artist."

"Okay... play me some Deja Voo Doo then we'll see if you can tear the ass outta Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay like Michael Bolton did."

I grinned, "You're making this too easy on me, bitch."

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"Calling me a bitch. I appreciate it."

I exchanged a look with Eagle then turned to Ascot. He paled visibly. What have you been doing pup? I knew since yesterday that he had knowledge of her in the biblical sense. What I wanted to know was how excited had he gotten? With his inexperience with bitches, I figured the chances were pretty good that he'd gone overboard and wanted the most out of it. And for us boys with the extra gear and a twitchy stick-shift, going all out in fur is pretty damn likely. I decided not to push it at the moment. I had to stay on good terms with Gabriel and this might blow the breakers if I let it out. Besides, I didn't know just how smart she was. My instincts told me though, she knew _all_ of us weren't what we appeared.

I shook my head and chuckled. "Whew!" I said. "Good thing I gotta pussy for a brother. Most guys woulda taken my head off for calling their girlfriend a bitch."

She just swung her crossed ankle and smiled.

"Then again, most girls would take that as an insult."

Her smile broadened. "I'm waiting," she said.

Zazu started us off and Eagle and I went into the guitar intro. Her eyes didn't leave my face until I hit the first note, then they closed in languorous ecstacy. I tracing red dotted lines over her body, in case that had to be done. For Ascot's sake, I hoped I would be able to avoid it. She knew. It was unmistakable. He'd gone overboard and she loved him for it. He told me in gym once that she loved werewolves and hated vampires. At the time I'd given him the go-ahead. He knew the rules, I thought.

I called a drink break after Deja Voo Doo. I stayed in the basement and watched her and the gang file upstairs. Ascot stayed tentatively between me and her. She complimented me on the way up and said she'd toss a Dr. Pepper down for me. I just nodded. Zazu followed like a zombie after one longing look at Ascot's arm, wound protectively around Umi.

My stomach flipped. "Shit!" I muttered.

"What?"

Eagle. I'd forgotten he was still down here. Glancing at the stairwell, I looked back at him and beckoned for him to sit. I kept one ear open and made my point quick. "Hikaru'll come after her," I said.

As expected, he looked at me like I was punch-drunk-stupid. "What?"

"Same thing like with Sara," I explained. "Look how attacking her took the bounce outta Zazu's step."

He shook his head. "But why Ascot? Hikaru knows he's not a big influence on the pack."

"Exactly!" I whispered. He still didn't get it, but I knew he'd remember a saying my father was notorious for. He'd drilled it into my head along with the fact that it was the case 99 of the time. I leaned forward as the sounds of feet came down the stairs. Pinching my finger and thumb together I mouthed the word, "Small."

The light went on.

_Things always start small before they become BIG problems. _Dad used to say.

We didn't play anymore. Maggie shouted that Zazu was expected home for dinner and here it was already five. Sodas in hand, we grabbed our stuff and headed out. Zazu walked home on his own. I was stuck with a shitty view. I walked behind the lovebirds until they turned toward her house. I shook my head. "Man I hope I'm wrong."

Eight o'clock. Max hasn't shown up yet. Mom's down in the den watching the tube, waiting for that knock on the door. I'm upstairs, sitting in the middle of the floor, staring at the carpet. My mind's torn between the physics book by my knee, my notebook of things I should be getting fresh in my mind before Thursday, and the cell phone in my backpack. Ascot's probably still at her house or within easy distance of turning around. The windows are open but there are no smells from the outside. I'd caught a whiff of the black-haired pirate a few blocks after I left her and Ascot. Nothing around the house.

My hands are interlocked under my chin and my elbows are on my knees. I rested my left hand on my knee and said to myself, "The pack." Any loyal wolf would let the vampires eat her heart and call his brother back to the den. That would be best for the pack. She wouldn't be a strong asset if they vampirized her. She'd be easy to kill. Ascot would be dead behind the eyes but the pack would be together. Safety in numbers. That was how we operated. We kept to ourselves, used humans if they amused us, then broomed them. We never put our needs or those of immediate family above the needs of the pack. That was how we survived. Humans who found out what we were had to be disposed of, and what better way than letting our enemies make her one of their own?

I looked at my right palm and said, "Ascot," then added, "and the bitch who was mistakenly born human." Even though I was the younger of the two, I took responsibility for him. He'd rarely had a relationship with anyone who lit him up the way she did. He was happy now, just like mom. What kind of brother would I be if I abandoned him? 'Sorry bro, there's other bitches for you to mate with.' Yeah, that would go over real well. Then there was her... Much as it may not sound like me to say this, she's okay. And personally, I thought it would be a waste for someone like her to become a parasite.

I reached for my cell and dialed Ascot's. Two rings, four. "Pick up you little shit," I muttered. No answer. The voice mail kicked in.

"I ain't here, leave a message and I'll throw you a bone."

I smiled. I'd given him the idea for that.

_Beep!_

"Hey bro," I said. "Hope you've got reusable condoms." I lost the joking tone in my voice. "Stay where you are tonight. If her parents come up for her, hide in the closet or under the bed. Anything goes screwy over there, you give me a buzz." I flipped the phone close and pressed it to my forehead. "I'm gonna go to hell..."

My phone rang at least twenty minutes ago. So what? Watching her fight sleep was worth missing any voice mail. The lights were down low with the sheer, lavender scarf she'd draped over the lamp in the corner. Sweat glistened on her forehead and just above her smiling top lip. I resisted licking her forehead for favor of what I'd missed between her breasts. She took a deep breath and sighed. I scooped her up and pressed my forehead to hers so our noses would touch too. That was how I told her I loved her when I was in fur.

At first, it had freaked her out a little and we kept the lights off. Then on when she realized my eyes would glow in the dark. Then she just kept her eyes closed. She stayed tense and I went back to skin. She relaxed and let me bite her neck and shoulder. She said she liked that so I bit a little harder, still careful not to break the skin. Thank the Moon I didn't lose control when she returned the favor.

_Entwining her hands in my hair she whispered, "Okay, I'll try again."_

"_I don't want to scare you," I said._

"_So long as I can see you through your eyes, you won't scare me."_

_I got off the bed and crouched on the floor, keeping my eyes on the carpet as the change morphed my shape. She slid off the bed and sat in front of me. I wanted to make sure she knew I couldn't hurt her. It was like a kitten sniffing around an Irish Wolfhound. Then, finally, after exploring the texture of my fur, she took my head in her hands and lifted my eyes to hers. I begged her not to scream this time. She didn't. She nodded and said, "Okay, now how about we work back up to this point." I nodded and she stopped me suddenly. "Wait, lay down." I spread out on my stomach. She combed my back with her fingers and ran her hands over my tail. I was too scared she would reject me to get hard. "Roll over." I obeyed, drew my clawed hands up like a dog begs for scraps, and she sat staring at me. "Now change back." Again, I obeyed. I took this as a very good sign, but I wasn't about to overstep my leash. I stayed on my back and waited for her next command as her eyes swept over me. I closed my eyes and prepared for the worst._

_Then she was straddling me and had her lips pressed to mine. "You can't talk when you're like that can you?" she asked._

_I shook my head. "I love you," I whispered._

_She smiled. A VERY good sign. Hunger flickered in and out of her eyes. "Just... you can bite, but don't draw blood or leave bruises."_

_I shook my head frantically, "I'd never hurt you."_

_She nodded then smirked and ran her hands up over my chest. Leaning down, she whispered by my ear,"You know, one of the things to do in the Kama Sutra is to act like an animal, sounds and all."_

_Fill in from there..._

Still, I'd been holding out for the bathroom and decided to check my mail while I was at it. I reversed the change and kissed her lips. "I'll be right back," I said. She moaned but couldn't hold on to me. She closed her eyes and I picked up my cell and walked into the little bathroom connected to her bedroom. She had one nice place!

My brother's icon of a flashing middle finger blinked at me from the voice mail screen. I selected it as I peeled the used condom off and pitched it in the trash.

"Hey bro," he said. "Hope you've got reusable condoms." I chuckled. Then he sounded serious. "Stay where you are tonight. If her parents come up for her, hide in the closet or under the bed. Anything goes screwy over there, you give my cell a buzz." -_click! End of message._

I hit 'Replay.' It sounded just as weird as the first time. What was he talking about? I had known from the beginning he was really against me being with Umi. Now he was telling me to stay the night with her! Was mom going apeshit again? Was _he_ having someone over? Was I in trouble? No, wait, 'anything screwy over _here_.' I looked out the bathroom door at Umi. Was someone going to come after us here? After her? I ground my teeth at the open window. Flushing quickly, I wiped off and went to the window. "Brr!" I said and I closed it" I didn't think it'd get this chilly tonight."

She giggled. "And you're the one with the fur..." Then she sat up and sauntered over to the bathroom, "My turn." She closed the door out of habit. I sat on the bed with my cell still in my hands. Was someone after her? After me? Was I putting her in danger simply being with her? My stomach twisted and I felt like I was about to start bawling. Get a grip! She'll be out here soon and you don't want her to think anything's up. She knows what you are, that doesn't mean she has to know what Clef suspects. I don't know where that came from. But whatever it was agreed that she was smarter than me and would start guessing if I let anything slip.

The toilet flushed and I tossed my cell on my backpack as she opened the door. She pulled a silk bathrobe from the peg behind the door and pulled the sash down tight to show off her waist. I let her know I appreciated it.

She smiled against my neck, "Can you stay for dinner?"

Her parents were out of town for the week, so there wouldn't be a problem with them. I wondered for a moment if I should go home to see what was going on. That passed quick. "I could stay the whole night if you wanted me to," I said.

She had me back on the bed before I could blink.

Thursday, finally! I called in sick, using some fabulous acting skills if I do say so myself. Strangely enough, Ascot called in too. Poor pup, he had his legs run off again yesterday. Mom knew about it, she just shook her head and laughed. Good, Ascot had the green light. Unfortunately, any time I mentioned Umi and asked how far he'd shown his belly (out of curiosity to evaluate her character I guess), he got skittish and changed the subject. I was starting to wonder if she'd gotten him pregnant with all the mood swings. That may not seem like a mood swing to you, but for Ascot, that's a definite change in the wind.

The Gathering was called for Gabriel's house. He didn't have to be to the firm until two because of his arm (a "hunting" accident to get in better with his father-in-law as the story went). Lafarga and Caldina were already there when I got there. Eagle greeted me at the door with a don't-fuck-this-up look. I turned into the living room and wouldn't you know it? The whole fuckin' pack was in town. They'd even managed to track down Marik in Arizona and he was lounging in one of the easy chairs with a bottle of Budweiser between his legs. The cripples, really just the slow ones, Aki and Tye were playing poker on the coffee table. Aki was grinning and kept glancing over his shoulder at the two blondes, the Twins, Sadi and Dominique, who weren't at all interested in the second-to-last little dog. Rudy and his new bitch shared the couch with Mom and Max. I clenched my teeth when I noticed his arm draped across her shoulders just so that his hand hung over her breast. Ethan, "Indian Wolf" as was his nickname, sat cross-legged on the floor with no drink beside him. Ascot walked in behind me and took a seat with me and Eagle at the corner table and waited for Lafarga to start. Gabriel and Maggie snuck in and took the last love seat.

Lafarga stood with his back to the cold fireplace and faced the room. I could tell the same thought ran through both our minds, the pack had shrunk since dad's days and we were still without a true leader. "First things first," he said gruffly. "Who's dead and who's otherwise not here?"

The list of dead was long: four pups. The parents of the dead offspring had wondered around like zombies for a few weeks before they disappeared all together. Geo was the only 'mature' one who wasn't here and no one knew if he was the fifth on the dead list or whatever number on the missing. That didn't take too long.

Marik fixed his purple eyes on Lafarga, "Just why are we here?"

Lafarga turned to me, "Well Clef? ("smartass" -but he didn't say it)"

Marik's eyes widened. "Wait a minute!" he roared. "You're Clef? Damn! You grew up pup!"

"Yep," I said. "And you went the stupid route. Shut up and listen Marik."

He nodded stiffly, "Yeah, you're like your old man alright. You definitely got his mouth."

"Too bad you didn't learn from his intellect..." I muttered.

He got to his feet, "Okay smartass! Tell me!"

I smiled. "We're here to decide what we're gonna do when Arkill goes 'poof!' Which I'd say he's probably a few nights away from."

Tye folded his hand, took his beer, and leaned back nervously. He kept his eyes on his face-down cards; the wheels were turning on something other than poker. Wetting his lips, he spoke with his usual inferiority complex. "Maybe... it might be best if we went ahead and considered Hikaru as the leader," he said.

"What are you talking about?" Aki asked, staring down at the only one who was below him.

Tye shifted away from Aki and continued, even softer, "Wuh-well," he stammered. "Someone told me that Arkill has lost control of the clan, he just doesn't know it."

Everyone except Ethan laughed. Aki punched Tye's shoulder, causing him to flinch and clutch his arm. "Who the hell told you that?" Aki howled. "Like vampires go senile!"

"This is nothing to laugh at!" Lafarga snapped.

From the corner of the room came the voice of reason. Ethan set his coal black eyes on the opposite wall and said in a voice that would have made a madman bow. "Their leader is not senile," he said. "Arkill never was."

Ethan was the oldest of the pack and had run with my father back when he was alpha. Ethan was dad's advisor and right hand man. He had the swiftest feet and the sharpest teeth in the day and judging from the size of his arms, he hadn't lost that edge. But I knew he was harmless, at least to his own. When I was old enough to speak and understand words, he told me stories while he sat on the floor with me and handed me legos. He wasn't in town when dad was murdered. When he came back and heard the news, he sold all his stuff and bought a pair of cross trainers. After everything had a temporary pigeonhole, he threw a backpack over his shoulder and headed for Arizona. He never mourned dad, not while he was around us anyway.

"For the time being he still has control of the clan," Ethan said. "But the only vampire who is loyal to him has fled the city with a blonde human girl for companionship."

"Zagato," Marik muttered. He scratched his thigh, at the exact spot where Zagato had once hung him upside down with barbed wire.

"Tyler is right," Ethan continued. Tye looked up with sparkling eyes and accidentally raised his head higher than Aki's. Aki snapped at him and he curled up. Ethan's eyes narrowed and Aki bowed his head reluctantly. "We must assume Arkill is already dead. If no vampire of his clan is loyal to him, then he is _dead_. We will target the red-haired vampress. She undoubtedly has a plan for the clan and will recruit additional muscle."

Marik jumped up. "And what makes you think _you_ can make the decisions, "Indian Wolf"?"

This brought up the next point of the gathering.

Ethan nodded. "You are right. No beast or bitch has a place aside from primitive pecking order. For our pack, there are two options: democracy or alpha."

Marik snorted. "Democracy doesn't work for humans!"

"No, and it has not worked for us," Ethan said. "That is why there has always been an alpha."

"So who is the alpha?" Ascot asked.

I clenched my teeth and waited for someone to snap at him. We were supposed to just sit in on this one. The only reason I'd said anything was because Lafarga called me out -and I don't care for Marik, either.

"That," Gabriel said, "is what we need to figure out. As I figure, the method stays the same -as it was as of old. My only concerns are with when? And where?"

"The sooner the better," Marik said as he swirled the beer in the bottom of his bottle. "We have to start considering our options." He raised his hands and gestured to the whole room. "Let's face it, we don't have the power to fend the leeches off."

"Not all of us can just drop our lives and run with our tails between our legs," Caldina growled. "Besides, some of us can't put in for job transfer or anything like that." She nodded at the three of us. "Those boys have got lives here. And Ascot! Why, I think he's more tied up here than any of us." She smiled. Ascot turned into a cherry.

He scratched the back of his head. "Uh... about that," Ascot said. "I know where my loyalties lie." He didn't say anything else; he didn't have to.

One thing from me then I'll get back to the main event. Really, this is a question for you. If your brother or sister was like Ascot and they finally got the break of their life, they'd keep to the bottom line right? I knew this was going to come up sooner or later and I figured Ascot would be all fang and claw. So then, who the fuck was this dick and what had he done with my brother?

Lafarga took the consensus. The older males agreed on the next full moon for the alpha ritual. Max pretty much bullied his way on the roster. And despite the normal rules, _all_ males were supposed to fight. But I wasn't going to wait almost two weeks to sharpen my claws. Lafarga called the brief Gathering to a close and the Twins slipped from the room first. The rest went on down memory lane, reminiscing about the good ol' days. Tye and Aki resumed their poker game. Maggie and Ascot went to the kitchen for refills and chips. I followed as quietly as I could, looking like I was going to help. Ethan flicked his eyes up at me as I passed then set them back on the opposite wall.

"Hey, Mrs. Vision," I said as I smiled and gripped Ascot's arm. "Sorry, but we've gotta peel out." I leaned in to her ear and whispered. "We've got some errands to run for Mom."

She grinned. "What errands?" she whispered back.

"Shh..." I hushed. "Just stuff for a jus' 'cause reason."

She nodded and giggled. "I'll make something up."

I smiled. "Thanks." Dragging Ascot, "Come on bro. We've got some errands to run!"

* * *

Oh yes... "errands to run." Next chapter you're... nope. Note to self: you're not putting previews in this one! That's why it's taking me so long on Quest for the Ardoneh. Not that I'm holding my breath but, I'd like a few reviews please. Come on! Starving artist here! _Please?_ -oh that's enough begging! lol 


	6. BIG Lie, small Word

Hehe, like Peter Frampton said in his last album "Like Swartzeneger in Terminator I'm back!" lol. I love that song. Plus I'm kinda on a sugar buzz right now if you couldn't tell. I got my novel done too. That's the main reason why I'm back. Except for a few trivial publication schedule committments, I'm free!

Disclaimer: I've never been good at remembering this but it's obvious blah blah blah... NEXT!

**WARNING: BEFORE YOU READ!** If ever there was a chapter that I've written that has earned the "R" rating, it's this one! The most polite thing I can say about the final scene is that it is "racy" but saying it's "disagreeable" is an understatement.

So on that happy note: Enjoy!

* * *

chapter 6: BIG Lie, small Word

As soon as Clef grabbed my arm I knew I was in for it. "Sorry," Clef said to Maggie. "But we've gotta peel out." He leaned in and whispered in her ear. "We've got some errands to run for Mom."

She grinned. "What errands?" she whispered back.

"Shh..." Clef hushed. "Just stuff for a jus''cause reason."

She nodded and giggled. "I'll make something up."

He smiled. "Thanks." He dropped his smile as he turned and dragged me behind him. His nails dug in my arm. "Come on bro. We've got some _errands_ to run!"

He threw me off the landing to the front door. When I turned he swung me around and punched my back. "Walk," he growled.

"Where-"

"Home!"

What roughed his fur? It was his idea! Before I met Umi, he was reminding me how humans could never be trusted. He even made up this bullshit story -pretty much like the relationship between me and Umi- where the girl he was with freaked and he had to get some of the older males to scare her into silence. He had me believing it too! It made his point and I avoided 'meat girls' (those are _his_ words, not mine). Then... sigh The werewolf rule of humans: use them for as long as it suits your purposes -then leave them! That's always been our way. Does he honestly think I _WANTED_ to leave her. By the way, in case you were wondering, no, Umi doesn't know yet. I was doing everything I could to keep my mouth shut and my eyes dry. My legs fought against every unnatural step, feeling the only way to walk was either back to Eagle's or straight to Umi and forget the whole thing for a while- shit! She's still in school right now, at least for the next two hours.

Down two more stretches of sidewalk and we'd be home. Clef stayed behind me, muttering to himself. For me, that's bad! That means: he's _really_ pissed. It didn't take me a split second to know what he was mad about. Check the facts bro! You were the one who warned me about falling for humans. You and Umi have done nothing but try to fuck over the other. You don't respect her. Okay, you called her a bitch once -probably by accident. You don't know a damn thing about her other than what I told you!

Still... tomorrow's going to be hell. At least it'll be Friday. Maybe the worst will pass over the weekend. The worst thing I can do is go back now. I've given my word to the pack. I have to keep that! No crying. Don't even look at her tomorrow. Damn, that's gonna be fucking tough! She'll bite into me after Clef gets his bite. That'll be the make-me-or-break-me point. I don't know what I'll do when I see her cry. I've never been good at lying... Now I have no choice.

This is best Umi. Without me around, Hikaru won't have any reason to come after you. I love you and when this is all over, I'll get you back. Will you understand? I won't be able to tell you. Everything has to run smooth or it'll all blown to hell. Will you know why I left? And then, will you wait for me?

Clef darted in front of me and through the short lawn to the front door. He left it open behind him. I closed it and waited on the inside mat. He was in the kitchen, rummaging for something to drink or break. Finally, empty-handed, he threw a chair back against the wall and sat down.

The clock over the stove ticked away six minutes before he cracked his knuckles and pulled his chair to the table. He interwove his fingers and looked up at me then kicked a chair away from the table. "Sit down," he said.

I was already dead on the inside so what was an ear lashing? I kept eye contact and slowly sat down. He glared at me and clenched his fists, breathing like a bull. Two more minutes ticked off the clock. After cracking his knuckles again, he let out a long breath and closed his eyes for a second. He got a Dr. Pepper from the fridge and popped the tab. He downed half of it before he looked at me again, then downed the other half. Crushing the can, he shook his head.

"Just where do you get off?" he muttered. "You were head over fucking heels for her! I never saw the two of you walk together without some part of you rubbing, touching, or groping -in the rare instance. In gym, I couldn't get you to shut the fuck up! You told me anything you could about her, a lotta times twice. She gave you the bushiest tale any of the pack had ever seen. They all know! Every single -yes! They _all_ know! You suck at lying, always have."

"I'm not lying." I got up and headed for the stairs.

"Yes you are! You're in love and-"

I grabbed my chair and swung it at his head. It smashed into the wall. He jumped to his feet, knocking his chair over, and sunk his claws into the table.

"I'm not in love!" I yelled.

"Bullshit!" he growled.

I grabbed his shirt and yanked him halfway across the table so I could look him dead in the eye. "I'm not in love. I never was."

I couldn't believe how easy those words were to say. Clef's eyes lost a bit of their edge. He was starting to believe it. I'd never been able to look him square in the eye and lie to his face before. Now I just had to drive the point home.

"There! Now the secret's out. It's like you always said isn't it? I had to grow some balls right? Well here's the newsflash: I did! I finally figured out where my loyalties lied." I smirked. "I guess fucking her finally got the thought that I loved her out of my head. She's just a slut."

Insulting a female in front of Clef: _Big mistake!_

Clef put my head through the table before I could blink. He yanked my head back up through the splinters and rammed his fist down my throat. His knuckles nearly flattened my nose before he sent me flying into the hall. He bounded over the table and was on me in one single leap. He slashed my forehead and I grabbed his shirt and rolled him off over my head. I kicked my legs up and hit my feet as his fist went through the floor where my head was. I turned and his claws were millimeters from my gut.

Two giant hands grabbed him from behind. Reflexed hurled my crooked hand at his head.

Mom swiped me across the back of the head from behind.

I woke up on my bed. My face stung like hell and my skull pounded like the throb of a hangover under bright lights. There was a faint glow in the far corner of the room. Thinking it was Clef, I bolted upright and froze. I moaned softly and slowly laid back down. Pages fluttered together then the book cover closed. The light switch clicked and the light went out. Mom sighed and got up from her chair in the corner. Sighing, she sat on the side of the bed and took my hand in her lap. She tried to smile.

"What happened?" I whispered.

"That's what I want to know," she said lowly. "Maximus wrestled Clef away and I knocked you out. I've done enough damage to him, and you. I'm not going to let either of you so much as point a claw at the other." She gazed down at me with glowing eyes, already knowing but she wanted a confession. "What happened?"

"You were there ma. I'm dumping Umi."

She shook her head. "That's not what I'm talking about." She sighed. "There's something I've suspected about Clef that I've never told anyone."

"What?"

"Do you know what a berserker is?"

"Yeah..."

"Clef is one, but thank the Moon he's a special -rare- case."

I chortled. "Clef? A berserker? Right."

"He broke my arm once, you know? When he was six. It was right after your father was murdered. I went off the deep end, and I was much worse then than what I was a few weeks ago. I took everything out on Clef because he looks so much like your father. You on the other hand, resemble my father. I blamed your father for dying and Clef was the closest I would ever come to him again. I -I had Clef by the wrist and I had just given him his first real thrashing. It's my fault really. I cornered him. His eyes... turned feral. He hissed and lashed out once, just once. He broke my arm." She paused and pointed to the spots just below her shoulder, above her elbow, and two places on her forearm. "Four places, each fractured three different ways. He heard the bones crack. He crumpled to the floor and wept with me in his arms. He swore then that he would never hit again. He's kept that promise, until today." She leaned in over me. "What did you say?"

"The truth," I said quickly. "I told him I didn't love Umi, that I never did. And I don't."

Her eyes dimmed sadly. "He told me that."

"You've already talked to him?"

"Of course, as soon as Maximus brought him back."

"Back? What are you talking about?"

Max looped his arms under mine and locked his hands behind my head. The break in the action cooled my blood a bit. I started breathing slower again and my head cleared. Max had lifted me off my feet, but as much as I hated the big ass I could have kissed him too. Mom was on her knees, wiping the blood from Ascot's broken nose and slashed forehead. Everything got hot and cold at the same time. The blood rushing to my neck made my stomach flip and coil, nearly lifting me off the ground with the urge to tear out of the house. Goose bumps shot up all down my arms. Max dropped me and scooped Ascot up and hurried him up to our room. Mom followed up the stairs and disappeared behind the door.

I stumbled to the kitchen, taking in the hole in the floor and table and the shattered chairs on my way to the sink. I turned and faced the table. The look in his eyes flashed in my mind: wide-eyed and dilated, afraid and dazed. I'd punched him with my right hand but put him through the table with my left. The gagging smell of blood seeped from my hands. My knuckles were coated, heavy and thick with blood. I slapped my hands on my shirt. I had to get the blood off! My brother's blood... my blood. I turned the faucet on boiling and scrubbed my hands. It washed off, but I could still smell it, so it was still there. Out of options, I turned to the butcher block and snatched the parring knife...

I left the knife in the counter top, damage only half done, and nearly took the back door off its hinges. I ran, for where, only the Moon could see. The last thing I remember before Max finally caught up with me was standing at the base of an old Ponderosa Pine and looking up at a second story window. The curtains danced with the nightly breeze and a woman giggled inside.

She came to the window, blue hair streaming.

"Clef loves you more than you know," Mom said. "But he wouldn't have gone after anybody the way he went after you if you hadn't done or said something. What did you say?"

I shrugged.

She sighed. "I didn't raise Clef and I didn't raise you. Caldina did. She taught Clef everything he knows. They share passions, especially in regards to women." She squeezed my hand and got up.

"Where is he now?"

"Downstairs in the den. Caldina's with him. Wash your face before you see him and make sure you get all the blood off." She paused at the door. "And just because a woman -human or wolf- is willing to be sensual doesn't make her a slut."

I laid there for a while, listening to the voices downstairs. Mom and Max were talking, probably in the kitchen. And Caldina was definitely in the den, Lafarga too probably. Finally, I worked my way to the bathroom and washed my face after I made sure my nose was back in one piece. I changed shirts just to be safe and did whatever I could to hide the lingering smell. Then I went down to the den.

Caldina was kneeling beside Clef who had slumped down in the lazy boy. He looked like shit! His right hand was wrapped, almost mummified, padded, and soaked with blood. The bandages stained his jeans.

When she saw me, Caldina got up and went to the kitchen. Lafarga wasn't there after all.

I stayed on the far side of the room, leaning against the wall with my arms crossed. So what have you got to say for yourself? _Berserker?_ He kept his head bowed and didn't say a word. I got fed up with waiting and went into the kitchen with Mom, Caldina, and Max.

"Did you talk to him?" Max asked.

"Why?" I snorted.

"Ascot!" Caldina gasped.

"There's no point," I continued. "He's not going to talk."

"Did you even try?" Max asked calmly.

"No!" I yanked the spare chair from the wall and sat down. "He put me through a table. He sliced my forehead into five stripes. And he tried to gut me!"

"He's still your brother."

"So?"

Max stared at me then took a swig of his beer. He leaned back in his chair and contemplated the tabletop. "I never had a brother, but I did have a blood brother once. We got into a fight a few years ago, kinda like the one you had with Clef. It was over a female and we had at it." He paused and rolled up his sleeve. Four, broad, pale scars trailed up his arm. "The son of a bitch nearly killed me. He was a good guy, had a nagging conscience. I didn't let him apologize or anything. I just said good riddance." He rolled his sleeve back down and took another swig. "He turned up dead a few months back." He stopped and stared at me. "He was only my blood brother, not my blood kin."

"What's your point?"

"My point is-"

Someone knocked on the door. I stayed in my chair with my back to the frig.

Clef opened the door.

"Hi-... What happened to you?"

My heart jumped up in my throat and my palms started to sweat. Umi...

"Just a fight," Clef answered. He sounded tired. "Nothing really unusual."

"Is Ascot in?"

Clef sighed. "He's upstairs -but! Wait a minute."

"I want to see him. What did you do?"

"He's fine. He just crashed early that's all. The fight took a lot out of him."

"What'd you fight about?"

"Trivial shit."

_Liar!_

"Will he be at school tomorrow?"

"Yeah! He's tougher than I give him credit for. He'll sleep it off."

"Okay. Will you give him these then?"

"Sure."

"See you tomorrow."

"Do you want me to walk you home? I'll throw these on the stairs then take 'em up later."

"Sure. I'll wait."

An envelope hit the first step on the stairs and Clef closed the door behind him.

"My blood brother was just like that," Max said. "Your brother's looking out for you."

I snorted and left the table. I snatched the envelope and opened them when I was on my bed. It might be sad to be seventeen and still sleep in a bunk but it was all mom could afford with the mortgage. I sat with my back against the wall and stared at the envelope in my hands. I felt my stomach churning, bile working its way up in my throat. Taking a deep breath, I grew one nail and slowly pried the flap free. There were pictures inside, maybe five or six. I shoved them under my pillow and darted for the bathroom, threw the toilet lid up and puked. I puked up what blood I'd swallowed and whatever else came up.

I finally pulled the handle and shuffled back to my room. I flipped the switch and let the room go dark before I climbed into my bunk. The pictures were still under my pillow. Get the worst over with. You're gonna have to deal with it sooner or later. Or you could give them back to her tomorrow after you tell her. Just don't look at them. My hand searched under the pillow for the envelope. Just don't- I felt it. My stomach was too tired and sore from puking to react. I pulled the envelope out and withdrew the pictures in baby steps. All nudes or close. She'd posed on her bed, surrounded by candles on the floor. I looked through all of them twice then found the note in the corner of the envelope, folded around the last picture.

_Ascot, I'm not trying to be a seductress here when I say that I hope these pictures chase away the loneliness anytime we're apart. I missed you today and had to do something. I started drawing to start then flipped through my sketchbook and found this. I drew it that first art class. Remember? Well -you'll think me really weird for this- I started talking like you were there. Things went from there. I wanted to show you... how I feel when you're around. I love you. Umi._

I looked at the picture. She was sitting on her bed in the normal light with her sketchbook open to a double spread in front of her chest. Her eyes were smiling as she blew a kiss to the camera. One side of the spread was my human face, the other my wolf side, all done in graphite with the wolf eyes in green colored pencil.

The door opened and I shoved everything back under my pillow. Clef walked in and stopped in the middle of the room. "How long?" he muttered.

"What?" I scoffed.

"How long are you going to let this go on?"

I growled. "Get off it!"

"I'm not talking about Umi. We've fought before. How long do you want to revel in it?"

I jumped off the bed and knocked him to the floor. "You tried to gut me!" I roared.

"I lost control," Clef said quietly. "I'm sorry."

"You're sorry? You're _sorry!_" I grabbed him by the hair and pummeled the back of his neck. Then I jerked him up, grabbed him by the collar, and shoved him against the wall. "You were going to kill me you asshole!"

"You would have dodged."

I plunged my fist into his gut. He fell to his knees and coughed. "Yeah, we've fought before. So what? Do I have to call Umi a slut again before you'll do something about it?"

He slowly stood and looked me dead in the eye with a cold calm. "Look at the whole picture for once." He grabbed my shoulders. "I'm on your side! You want to dump Umi on her ass? Fine! I'm behind you. I walked Umi home so you could have some time to think. How are you going to handle tomorrow? How are you going to tell her? _What_ are you going to tell her? The only thing you owe her now is an explanation. Make it whatever you want! I don't care! Although I doubt it, but if you want me to be there when you tell her. Okay. Whatever you want me to do. I'm on your side! My loyalty is to you and Mom before anybody else. Before Eagle. Before the pack itself! I'm on your side bro."

"Then _you_ tell her. Tell her it's the wolf way to leave humans."

His face paled and he quit breathing. He stared at me for a while before he finally nodded. "Okay. When?"

"Tell her at the end of school. I'll hold her after art until you get there. That way she can go home and cry as long as she wants over the weekend."

Clef's hands dropped to his sides. "Alright."

"You'll do it?"

He raised his right hand and showed me the bloody bandages. "I swear."

I pointed at the bandages. "Are you going to fix that?"

He shook his head. "This is a reminder for me." He sighed and walked to his bunk. He stared at the blood smears on the sheets. Mom hadn't changed them yet. His shoulders stiffened. Finally, he yanked the pillow out of the pillowcase and tossed the case by the door. He furiously tore the blankets and sheets off, leaving the naked mattress. The stench of my blood still wafted from the fibers. He stared at them then slashed the stained patches out and gutted a few of the metal springs. Frantically gathering the debris on the floor, he picked it up and threw it out in the hall then slammed the door. He froze, like a cat that had been caught losing its furry mind.

"It's a reminder," he repeated. He looked down at his hand and clenched his fist repeatedly. I cringed and felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Whatever scabs had formed from whatever he'd done to his hand tore loose, ripping the skin and squeezing the blood vessels. The sickening squish was... blah! It was about enough to make me hurl all over again. His face twisted as he curled his hand again. "It's a reminder," he said for the third time. His voice shook. I looked closely at his eyes. Was he crying? He sounded sick and sorry and sad all at once. Before I could blink, he spun. Blood squirted from his bandages as he cracked the doorframe with his fist. He gritted his teeth and sunk to the floor, cradling his hand.

"Are you crazy!" I yelled. "You idiot!"

"It's a reminder... of what I am and what I've done -_twice!_ No, three times! It happened not too long ago, when Mom was in Hikaru's hands and we took her to the witches. I just remember looking up at her in the tree and," he swiped his left hand down his face, "blank. When it happened then, I didn't think much about it. It would have been natural!" He looked at me. "But if you calling Umi, a human -a _meat_ _girl_- a slut set me off... I-I don't know when it'll happen next. I almost maimed Mom once and now..." Now he was crying. "I almost killed you! My own brother!"

He roared and pounded his fist in the wall. The plaster gave way instantly but the support beam took a little longer to crack.

I could hear the bones in his hand fracturing. He threw his fist harder. "Stop it!" I cried. I slid next to him, grabbed his arms, and pinned them across his chest. "Knock it off. You'll put a hole in the wall you crazy fuck."

He sniffed and panted to catch his breath.

"Besides, this is your power arm bro!"

He chuckled weakly.

"You'll never play again if you keep that up."

"So what? If I never use that hand again on a guitar, I'll never use it to hurt anyone again either."

"That's just it! We both know you aren't worth a damn left handed. We're going to choose a new pack leader here soon. We're both fighting in that."

He growled and threw me off. He paced the room. "Me? Me!" He laughed like a lunatic. "Oh come on! Do you really think once this hits the pack's ears that they'll want me anywhere near the females? Or the _offspring?_ Seriously, a pup starts howling and what do I do? I'll probably backhand the kid!"

"We both know that's bullshit!"

"Is it? You called a meat girl a slut and I go off the deep end! What makes a bawling pup any different?"

I got to my feet and grabbed his shoulders. "There's a BIG difference! You're over reacting."

He grabbed my wrists to throw me to the other side of the room but dropped his hands and listened.

"See? You're not a real berserker. Mom said you were a rare case. You can control it." He cut his eyes up at me. "Yes! You can control it! All those times Mom fed you the Jack Daniel's bottle and tore the ass outta you you took it. You never growled at her or flashed a fang or crooked a claw. When you and Eagle were at each other's throats, yeah you got mad but you never went overboard. You've only ever done what you had to! I deserved it!"

He shook his head. "That's not the point."

"Then what is the point? I don't think even you know. But whatever it is you better figure it out before tomorrow."

"Why? So I can tell Umi for you?"

"No. What do you think the guys are going to say when they see you like this tomorrow? Or at lunch with an empty tray and you flexing your damn hand! I know Eagle will have something to say about it."

He didn't say anything.

I sighed and clapped his shoulders. "Bro, it's cool. Shit happens. I know you won't let it happen again and there's nothing we can do to fix the last whoops."

He raised an eyebrow. "Whoops?"

I shrugged and let go of his shoulders. "Just fix your hand man. Caldina's probably gone by now. Umi won't say anything about it if she sees the bandages are off."

He muttered something I couldn't catch.

"What do you want me to say? I forgive you. It's cool. It's fixed."

"It's fixed," he mused.

"Yeah!"

He sniffed again then wiped his eyes. He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Well, that was embarrassing."

I grinned. "Not everyday you cry in front of your big brother."

He cocked his head and flipped me the bird.

I laughed and tried putting him in a headlock. As usual, he weaseled out of my grip and flipped me on my stomach and twisted my arm behind me. Painful, but it was good to have him back!

Dammit! Why did I decide to wait until the end of school? Fridays are supposed to be the major skate day of the week. It was supposed to be even better since I had gym and art, my usual two favorite classes, on the same day. But Clef didn't say anything to me all through gym class. He said in the lockers that he was concentrating for once on the class (just to throw the coach off guard) and thinking about how he was going to let Umi down easy. Easy? He knows all about chicks and he's sweating more than I am! Then at lunch, oh shit... Umi decides she's not going to sit with her girlfriends and decides to come over to our table. She plops down right between me and Clef. She and Zazu immediately hit it off, talking about music and he explains all he can about engines and techy stuff. Eagle cracked more jokes than ever. Umi laughed side by side with Clef until they were both blue in the face. She tried to kiss me and touch my leg, but I avoided that with the "I'm too sore" excuse. I didn't say I loved her. I didn't touch her. I didn't smile. I didn't let my eyes look at her with that mushy expression. I only had one more class to ride out. The bad news for Clef was, none of my hints seemed to make her suspicious. Why would it? We'd had sex only a few days ago. The thought was so painful I could have howled right there on the spot.

I just sat through art. Being one day behind wasn't going to kill me. Besides, the teach is a pushover. He'll let me do whatever I want. He's too busy keeping the pricks in check anyway. Umi sat next to me. The rest of my table went to other places in the room so it was just the two of us alone. Of all days! Why now? She asked if there was anything she could do for me. The shine in her eyes and the slight smirk on her lips made an offer that the sky was the limit. She said she'd massage my shoulders lightly so she wouldn't aggravate any of the bruises. Or... she'd do something else for me later.

I couldn't have been more glad that Clef was going to break the news to her.

The bell rang but I couldn't jump out of my seat. I was "sore" still. What difference would it make? If she didn't suspect now she would when she saw Clef waiting outside.

Teach left the room and I felt my blood run hot. Oh shit! Umi wrapped her arms around me from behind, softly pressing her breasts against my back. She kissed my neck so lightly there was no way I could have complained or protested. Her hand glided across my shoulders as she sat on the desk and smiled seductively. I swallowed. She held my face and indulged me with the softest, hottest kiss I'd ever tasted. Her hand slid down my abdomen to my belt and I abandoned the sore act.

Blame it on reflexes. Like I said, I abandoned the sore act. I grabbed her hips and pulled her down as I pushed my chair back. She gasped and giggled. I groaned and growled as the change came over me a little. She was too used to me now to freak when my nails raked over her skin or when I nibbled on her shoulder. My arm locked around the small of her back and kept her snug against me. She moved her hips and squeezed my sides between her knees. She teethed my neck and shoulder as her hands moved with purpose. My belt and fly were undone before I had worked my way back to her lips. I grabbed one of her hands before she touched me but missed the other. I groaned and grinded my hips against her.

"God I missed you yesterday," she moaned.

I let her hand go and leaned my head back, trying to breathe while her hands stroked. I groaned but it sounded more like a growl. She grinned and bite down on my shoulder as she rolled her torso like an Arabian dancer against my body. She moaned and tried to undo her jeans one handed, thoroughly hot. The tension was too much. I finished first then put her on her back on the desk. She giggled and gasped and clutched me close to her. I withdrew my nails and undid her jeans as quickly as I could without slashing them off her legs. I don't know how I managed to pull my jeans back up. I didn't mess with the belt. I just had to keep separate from her. Leaning down, I meshed her body against mine and slid my fingers between her legs and felt her push against me. I had to end it. Quick! Another few seconds and I'd say "fuck it!" to the whole plan. I went for the money and kissed her one last, fiery time, then grabbed my backpack and bolted for the door.

"Ascot!" she called.

The door hadn't swung shut before her feet hit the floor and her zipper was up again. She darted out of the room and grabbed my arm. I turned toward the stair and saw Clef's feet coming down from the floor above us. Son of a bitch took his dear sweet time!

"Ascot!" Umi said. She jostled my arm and tried to turn me to face her. I wouldn't move. "What's going on? Why'd we stop?"

Clef froze on the step he was on then ran down the last flight. He looked at me with disbelief. Umi stared at him.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

I grabbed her arm and dragged her behind me to Clef. "Here!" I said then threw her in his arms. "I'll see you at home." I shot one last look at Umi then slung my backpack over my shoulder and headed for the door.

Umi fired a million questions at Clef. She got her answers from the silence.

Fire one shoe! It struck the back of my head and bounced off harmlessly. Her second shoe hit the wall on my left. Clef must have stopped her but I hadn't heard him move. He didn't even say it! She knew but he didn't say it!

"Fuck you!" Umi howled. "Fuck you!"

"You already did," I said before I could think.

I dashed out the door before Clef did anything. He stayed still. Umi froze. Then Clef followed me, stopping at the door. "Shit!" he grumbled.

"What?" I snapped.

"I forgot my Algebra stuff."

"What?"

"I missed math yesterday, I've gotta catch up on it. You go on ahead, I'll meet you at home." He turned to go back inside then stopped. I held my sideways stare. "Hey," he whispered. "I'm on your side." He showed me his bandaged hand. "Remember? My loyalties are to you first."

I nodded stiffly and watched him go back up the stair, carefully walking around Umi who sunk to her knees. She stared at me, unable to cry.

I turned away before the nausea finally squeezed tears from my eyes for her. I forced my legs to walk until I could look back and be out of sight from the glass doors. Then I pulled my backpack straps securely over my shoulders and took off at a dead run for home.

I doubt I could hate myself any more than I did on that long run home.

* * *

I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I, myself, _hated _that chapter. I wrote myself in a corner; I admit. That scene between Clef and Ascot wrote itself though. I had a completely different idea of where I wanted that to go but this just played out as if... (cringes) it was meant to be that way. Again, Asmi fans, I apologize. And to the Clef fans: at least I didn't kill him or anything... as I'm known for through Without the Mask.

Reviews please, or hatemail if you'd rather. My rhino skin is pretty thick now so I can handle the flames.

See ya next time!


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